COLOMBO (February 13):
Moving beyond mere lamentation over the economic crisis, today marks a critical milestone in discussing practical and scientifically-driven solutions for Sri Lanka’s economic revival. The inaugural session of the solution-centric discussion series, organized by the ‘Reset Now’ movement, commences today (Friday, Feb 13th) at 4:00 PM at the Nippon Hotel in Colombo 2.
Led by renowned political communicator and policy expert, Professor Rohan Samarajiva, the primary theme of this session is “The Key to Rapid Growth: India.”
Why “Reset” Now?
World Bank comparisons indicate an extremely slow economic growth trajectory ahead for Sri Lanka. However, as Prof. Samarajiva highlights, the country is simultaneously facing a critical ‘Youth Bulge’ between 2022 and 2032. This stagnant economy cannot generate sufficient employment or entrepreneurial opportunities for the one million young people entering the workforce over the next decade. The recent rise of an “Unsatisfied Youth” generation in Bangladesh serves as a stark warning.
Furthermore, generating necessary resources to care for the elderly population—currently one-fifth and soon to be one-quarter of the total population—poses a significant challenge.
The Solution is Close at Hand: Integrating with Southern India
The most practical, short-term solution to overcome these challenges is economic integration with neighboring India, particularly Southern India and the Tamil Nadu state, which boasts a massive 11% economic growth rate. Against the backdrop of India increasing its exports by roughly 20% in late 2025, even amidst global trade wars, Sri Lanka must connect to this expanding global supply chain.
Prof. Samarajiva emphasizes two key prerequisites for this:
- Physical Infrastructure and Connectivity: With India’s Vizhinjam Port developing rapidly, Sri Lanka must act swiftly to secure the future of the Colombo Port. Reducing transport costs and linking the two nations via energy supplies (oil pipelines and electricity grid connections) will pave the way for Sri Lankan companies to access the global market through India.
- Legal and Contractual Stability: Moving beyond mere physical infrastructure, it is essential to enter into strong bilateral agreements that remove tariff barriers and minimize regulatory uncertainty for businesses.
This gathering is not merely another political “talk shop”; it is an intellectual discourse seeking rational, data-driven solutions for the country’s future.
Venue: Nippon Hotel, Kumaran Ratnam Road, Colombo 02. Time: Today (Friday, 13th) from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Medium: Mixed Sinhala and English.