Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, Sajith Premadasa, has welcomed the recent decision by the United States to reduce the trade tariff imposed on Sri Lankan exports to 20 percent.
In a post on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), the SJB leader highlighted that this reduction places Sri Lanka on a competitive footing alongside countries like Vietnam and Bangladesh, while noting that India’s tariff rate remains at 25 percent.
“Glad the U.S. cut tariffs to 20% for Sri Lankan goods. This puts us alongside Vietnam and Bangladesh, while India pays 25%,” he said.
Premadasa further emphasized the need for Sri Lanka to aim for tariff rates below 15 percent to provide a substantial boost to the country’s exporters.
“We should aim under 15% to give our exporters a real lift,” he stated.
The opposition leader also called for the establishment of a dedicated team comprising trade economists and lead negotiators to proactively engage in ongoing trade discussions and ensure continued progress.
“We should have a team of trade economists and lead negotiators to keep pushing,” Premadasa added.
