Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya reporting from Jakarta 

Sri  Lanka is making significant strides in strengthening its economic ties  within the South Asian region, with a focus on finalising Preferential  Trade Agreements (PTAs) with  Indonesia, Sri Lankan Ambassador to  Indonesia and ASEAN, Admiral (Prof.) Jayanath Colombage said.

He  emphasised the strategic importance of these agreements during a recent  meeting with a group of journalists and dignitaries at the Sri Lankan  Embassy in Jakarta.

Admiral Colombage highlighted that Sri Lanka has  historically focused on markets in the USA and Europe, often neglecting  the potential within the South Asian region. 

“We have now shifted  our focus and are currently working diligently to finalise PTAs with  Thailand and Indonesia,” he said and added that this move is part of Sri  Lanka’s broader strategy ‘Look East’ to integrate more deeply into  regional economic frameworks and bolster trade partnerships.

“Indonesia,  with its close ties to Sri Lanka, plays a pivotal role in this new  economic strategy. It is crucial for a country like Sri Lanka, which is  recovering from an economic crisis, to engage with a rapidly developing  nation like Indonesia,” Colombage said.

Indonesia’s significant  population of 240 million and its goal to become a developed country by  2045 present substantial opportunities for bilateral trade and  investment, he said.

He made these remark during a dinner hosted at  the Sri Lankan Embassy in Jakarta. Ambassador Colombage reiterated the  importance of learning from Indonesia’s business practices and  investment strategies. The event was attended by officials from the  Indonesian Embassy in Colombo and members of the Sri Lankan business  community. 

Beyond trade, Colombage said tourism is a key area for development. 

“A  large number of tourists have visited Sri Lanka this year, and we are  seeing an increasing number of tourists from Indonesia as well,” he  added. 

In line with these efforts, the Embassy of the Republic of  Indonesia in Colombo has organised an official visit for popular Sri  Lankan singer Umaria Sinhawansa and a group of journalists to Indonesia  from June 19 to 27, 2024 aiming to promote Indonesian tourism among Sri  Lankans.

During the visit, they will explore the development,  historic values and cultural activities in Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta  and Bali. 

This initiative is supported by the Indonesian Ministry of  Foreign Affairs in collaboration with other Indonesian government  institutions, SriLankan Airlines, AirAsia and Garuda Indonesia.

Prior  to the departure, the Ambassador of Indonesia to Sri Lanka, Dewi  Gustina Tobing, also met with Umaria Sinhawansa and the accompanying  journalists at the Bandaranaike International Airport on June 19, 2024,  to mark the commencement of the visit.