Thursday Jul 16, 2026
Thursday Jul 16, 2026
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Swedish Ambassador to India, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka Jan Thesleff
By Charumini de Silva
Outgoing Swedish Ambassador to Sri Lanka Jan Thesleff said Sri Lanka is steadily rebuilding the confidence of international investors, citing improved policy stability, a highly skilled workforce and the country’s resilience as key drivers of stronger trade and investment ties with Sweden.
In an exclusive interview with the Daily FT ahead of the conclusion of his tenure, Thesleff said Swedish businesses continue to view Sri Lanka as an attractive investment destination despite recent global and domestic challenges, noting that growing policy predictability has strengthened investor confidence.
“Capital can move anywhere in the world. If investors choose Sri Lanka, it is because they see opportunities and confidence in the country’s fundamentals,” he said.
The Ambassador said a more stable and predictable policy environment has enabled businesses to make long-term investment decisions with greater certainty, describing it as one of Sri Lanka’s key competitive advantages.
Reflecting on the country’s recent economic recovery, Thesleff said Sri Lanka had demonstrated remarkable resilience in overcoming successive crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, global economic disruptions, natural disasters and geopolitical tensions.
“Sri Lanka has an inner resilience that is very impressive. Many countries would have remained on their knees after such challenges, but Sri Lanka continues to move forward,” he said, pointing to developments such as the Colombo Port City as evidence of continued progress.
Sweden currently has around 80 companies operating in Sri Lanka, a significant presence given that only about 300 Swedish companies operate in neighbouring India. Around half of the Swedish firms in Sri Lanka are engaged in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector, reflecting confidence in the country’s skilled workforce and growing digital economy.
Thesleff also identified apparel manufacturing as a key sector attracting Swedish investment, with some companies relocating operations from elsewhere in Asia to Sri Lanka because of its skilled labour and improving business environment.
He highlighted renewable energy, healthcare, life sciences, food processing and food packaging as sectors with strong potential for expanded cooperation between the two countries.
The Ambassador described Swedish private equity firm investment of more than $1 billion in Sri Lankan technology companies, as a strong vote of confidence in the country’s business sector.
“When investors commit that level of capital, they are expressing confidence in the professionalism, governance, talent and long-term prospects of Sri Lankan businesses,” he said.
Thesleff also noted Sweden’s continued support for Sri Lanka’s renewable energy transition through cooperation between Swedfund and the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to strengthen the national electricity grid.
He said bilateral commercial engagement would gather further momentum, with a major Swedish business delegation scheduled to visit Sri Lanka in January 2027 under the leadership of Business Sweden and participate in Sri Lanka Expo, marking Sweden’s first organised participation in the country’s flagship export exhibition.
“There are many reasons to be optimistic,” Thesleff said. “Sri Lanka has the talent, the resilience and increasingly the stable environment that investors look for. That combination creates tremendous opportunities for the future.”
