Sri Lanka’s economic outlook brightens with Graphene

Monday, 30 March 2026 05:08 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Ragedara Graphite Mines Chairman Eng. Keerthi Wickramaratne

An exclusive business conclave for Investment Promotion on Graphene Technology held at Kingsbury Colombo last week aimed at promoting investment in graphene technology, attracting a robust presence of both local and international investors.

This high-level platform was orchestrated by Ragedara Graphite Mines Chairman Eng. Keerthi Wickramaratne , a pioneer in the mining, research, and production of vein graphite and graphene in Malsiripura, Sri Lanka.

The conclave served as a critical forum for discussing the future potential of graphene and its transformative impact across global industries. Key topics included the strategic importance of graphite and graphene as materials that could drive technological advancement and bolster national economic growth.

Economic Development Deputy Minister Nishantha Jayaweera noted encouraging news about Sri Lanka’s economic outlook, acknowledging the private sector’s role in creating value-added products for niche export markets, a sentiment echoed during the Graphene product launch.

“Sri Lanka has achieved an improved stable economy status as we look towards the year 2025, surpassing our financial expectations this year, marking a significant victory,” he stated. “Our primary aim moving forward is to accelerate development and broaden our economy, consolidating Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) while attracting local investments. This reflects what the people expect from us,” he emphasised.

Deputy Minister Jayaweera also announced the introduction of three new acts designed to enhance investment opportunities in Sri Lanka: an Investment Protection Act, an Investment Promotion Act, and a Strategic Development Act. Additionally, he revealed a five-year Investment Diversification Plan aimed at achieving the government’s specific goals, which includes potential tax relief for investment ventures in the Port City.

Eng. Keerthi Wickramaratne elaborated on the significance of graphene, stating, “Sri Lankan Graphene has been recognised as the prime quality Conductive Graphene globally, having been tested against other countries at the University of Singapore. With the right infrastructure and a focus on production, we can supply first-class graphene to the world and earn significant foreign revenue.”

He said that high-grade graphene currently valued at 30 times the price of gold and expressed optimism about his existing orders from countries including China, Germany, the USA, Japan, India, Korea, England, and various European nations, with some investors eager to enter the graphene business in Sri Lanka.

“We are capable of producing graphene cost-effectively compared to our competitors, and our product quality is three times superior based on global market acceptance and feedback,” he concluded, highlighting the potential for Sri Lanka to capitalise on its rich natural resources in the graphene sector.