Brief Report on “Sri Lanka Beyond Your Dreams” held on 08th March 2024, Hilton Hotel, Dubai, UAE
Towards a digital Sri Lanka: Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington DC hosts an interactive discussion
Sri Lanka Tourism shines bright in Tunisia
Sri Lanka Thailand Free Trade Agreement (SLTFTA )
Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion event in Alexandria Governorate
SRI LANKA SHINES BRIGHT AT VIETNAM EXPO 2023: INNOVATIVE APPROACH FOR FUTURE COLLABORATION
The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Viet Nam participates in the International Food Festival 2023
Products of Sri Lankan SMEs enthrall and fascinate Vietnamese in Ha Noi

Latest News

View all news

Vision

“Raising living standards of the people through international trade relations”

Mission

“To develop and promote Sri Lanka’s foreign trade relations at bilateral, regional and multilateral levels by the effective implementation of government trade policy, with a view to raising the standards of living and realizing a higher quality of life through the increase of total production, income and employment levels, thereby actively contributing to the overall economic growth of Sri Lanka.”

How do I check the eligibility under ISFTA for my export products to India?

 
 I.            Visit http://www.indiantradeportal.in/index.jsp
 
II.           Enter HS Code
 
III.          Identify HS code and select ''Import''
 
IV.           Select product
 
 V.           Select country
 
VI.          Tariff results will appear
 
·       If "no preference" is mentioned, the product is not eligible under ISFTA
 
·       If it is eligible under ISFTA, the applicable tariff under ISFTA will appear

How do I check the applicable duty under ISFTA for my export product to India?

 
I.               Visit http://www.indiantradeportal.in/index.jsp
 
II.             Enter HS Code
 
III.           Identify HS code and select ''Import'
 
IV.           Select product
 
V.             Select country
 
VI.           Applicable duty under ISFTA will appear
 

Can I make amendments to the Affidavit issued for wholly obtained products after it was attested by a Justice of Peace or an Attorney/ Lawyer?

 
No, once a JP attested an affidavit no amendments can be made. There is no legal validity of an affidavit to which amendments have been made after the JP's attestation. If there are changes of the facts included in an affidavit, a fresh affidavit should be submitted accordingly.
 

What should I do when the Indian Customs Officers are refusing to accept the CoO issued by the Department of Commerce of Sri Lanka (DOC)?

 
The DOC will issue a verification letter confirming the genuineness of the said CoO/s. The exporter should make a written request to DOC via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. together with
 
I.               Copy of the CoO
 
II.             Copy of B/L
 
III.           Email address of relevant Customs House (if available)
 

Is it mandatory to obtain an ISFTA CoO prior to On -Board Date of the shipment?

 
To minimize the number of obstacles faced by exporters especially at the customs clearance points in India, we are encouraging exporters to obtain CoOs only at the time of exportation (prior to on board date), and “Retrospective Issue of CoOs” is not allowed.
 

What are the HS Codes eligible for ISFTA Apparel Quota?

 
HS Chapter 61 and 62
 

Which companies are eligible for the ISFTA Apparel Quota?

 
Apparel Exporting Companies which have registered under ISFTA Apparel Quota and received the allocation of ISFTA Apparel Quota through Department of Commerce of Sri Lanka
 

What is the total number of pieces available for the ISFTA Apparel Quota per year for zero duty benefit?

 
8 million pieces
 

What is the level of utilization of 8mn Apparel Quota under ISFTA?

Year  Utilization % from 8 Mn. Pieces 
 2008  9.89
2009   13.54
2010   36.50
2011 47.68
2012 46.83
2013 49.77
2014 55.18
2015 73.09
2016 95.44
2017 99.99
2018 100.00
2019 95.78
2020 43.59

 

What is the % of preferential exports and imports under Indo-Sri Lanka FTA?

 
In 2020, 60% of Sri Lanka’s exports were under the FTA, while only 5% Indian imports were under the FTA route.