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Public debt grew more slowly in the first three quarters of 2024
Sri Lanka’s public debt rose at a slower pace in the first three quarters of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Whilst domestic debt and foreign increased, the growth was notably lower than in the previous year. By September 2024, Sri Lanka’s domestic debt stock, including all publicly guaranteed local currency debt, increased by LKR 0.8 trillion. It rose from LKR 17.7 trillion at the start of 2024 to LKR 18.5 trillion in September. In comparison, during the first of three quarters of 2023, domestic debt climbed by LKR 2 trillion, growing from LKR 15.2 trillion in January to LKR 17.2 trillion by September 2023. Foreign debt, covering bilateral, multilateral, commercial, and foreign currency denominated publicly guaranteed loans, increased by USD 0.3 billion from USD 41.5 billion at the start of 2024 to USD 41.8 billion in September. In the first three quarters of 2023, foreign debt rose by USD 0.4 billion. The last quarter of 2023 saw a significant increase of USD 2.6 billion due to a Special Swap agreement in October between the Reserve Bank of India and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. This slowdown in debt growth may be attributed to improved fiscal balances. The 2024 budget aims to reduce the budget deficit from 8.3% to 7.6% of GDP, and revenue collection has surpassed expectations, reducing the government’s reliance on borrowing.
Featured Insight
Public debt grew more slowly in the first three quarters of 2024
Sri Lanka’s public debt rose at a slower pace in the first three quarters of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Whilst domestic debt and foreign increased, the growth was notably lower than in the previous year. By September 2024, Sri Lanka’s domestic debt stock, including all publicly guaranteed local currency debt, increased by LKR 0.8 trillion. It rose from LKR 17.7 trillion at the start of 2024 to LKR 18.5 trillion in September. In comparison, during the first of three quarters of 2023, domestic debt climbed by LKR 2 trillion, growing from LKR 15.2 trillion in January to LKR 17.2 trillion by September 2023. Foreign debt, covering bilateral, multilateral, commercial, and foreign currency denominated publicly guaranteed loans, increased by USD 0.3 billion from USD 41.5 billion at the start of 2024 to USD 41.8 billion in September. In the first three quarters of 2023, foreign debt rose by USD 0.4 billion. The last quarter of 2023 saw a significant increase of USD 2.6 billion due to a Special Swap agreement in October between the Reserve Bank of India and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. This slowdown in debt growth may be attributed to improved fiscal balances. The 2024 budget aims to reduce the budget deficit from 8.3% to 7.6% of GDP, and revenue collection has surpassed expectations, reducing the government’s reliance on borrowing.
Featured Insight
Public debt grew more slowly in the first three quarters of 2024
Sri Lanka’s public debt rose at a slower pace in the first three quarters of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Whilst domestic debt and foreign increased, the growth was notably lower than in the previous year. By September 2024, Sri Lanka’s domestic debt stock, including all publicly guaranteed local currency debt, increased by LKR 0.8 trillion. It rose from LKR 17.7 trillion at the start of 2024 to LKR 18.5 trillion in September. In comparison, during the first of three quarters of 2023, domestic debt climbed by LKR 2 trillion, growing from LKR 15.2 trillion in January to LKR 17.2 trillion by September 2023. Foreign debt, covering bilateral, multilateral, commercial, and foreign currency denominated publicly guaranteed loans, increased by USD 0.3 billion from USD 41.5 billion at the start of 2024 to USD 41.8 billion in September. In the first three quarters of 2023, foreign debt rose by USD 0.4 billion. The last quarter of 2023 saw a significant increase of USD 2.6 billion due to a Special Swap agreement in October between the Reserve Bank of India and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. This slowdown in debt growth may be attributed to improved fiscal balances. The 2024 budget aims to reduce the budget deficit from 8.3% to 7.6% of GDP, and revenue collection has surpassed expectations, reducing the government’s reliance on borrowing.
Featured Insight
Public debt grew more slowly in the first three quarters of 2024
Sri Lanka’s public debt rose at a slower pace in the first three quarters of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Whilst domestic debt and foreign increased, the growth was notably lower than in the previous year. By September 2024, Sri Lanka’s domestic debt stock, including all publicly guaranteed local currency debt, increased by LKR 0.8 trillion. It rose from LKR 17.7 trillion at the start of 2024 to LKR 18.5 trillion in September. In comparison, during the first of three quarters of 2023, domestic debt climbed by LKR 2 trillion, growing from LKR 15.2 trillion in January to LKR 17.2 trillion by September 2023. Foreign debt, covering bilateral, multilateral, commercial, and foreign currency denominated publicly guaranteed loans, increased by USD 0.3 billion from USD 41.5 billion at the start of 2024 to USD 41.8 billion in September. In the first three quarters of 2023, foreign debt rose by USD 0.4 billion. The last quarter of 2023 saw a significant increase of USD 2.6 billion due to a Special Swap agreement in October between the Reserve Bank of India and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. This slowdown in debt growth may be attributed to improved fiscal balances. The 2024 budget aims to reduce the budget deficit from 8.3% to 7.6% of GDP, and revenue collection has surpassed expectations, reducing the government’s reliance on borrowing.
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Revenue
Insights and analysis of government revenue.
Will the Increase in Cigarette Taxes Meet Budgeted Revenue?
On the 1st of Jan 2023, the government increased excises taxes on cigarettes by 20% as follows: Size Old Excise Tax per Cigarette New Excise Tax per Cigarette...
From The PF Wire
Source:
The Morning
No tax relief in the foreseeable future
Ministry of Finance cannot grant any tax concessions for local manufacturers at this stage due to the need to meet revenue targets. However, tax concessions might be considered in the mid-term if revenue generation exceeds...
Read More
Source:
Daily Mirror
Govt. throws tax net to 14 more fields
Government has registered 14 previously overlooked fields for mandatory tax payments, which, along with stringent investigations by the Inland Revenue Department, has increased tax revenue from 8.3% to over 11% of GDP.
Read More
Source:
The Island
CBSL predicts positive economic growth this year
Sri Lanka is expected to record positive annual economic growth in 2024 for the first time since the economic crisis. ...
Read More
Insight on Revenue
Changes in Special Commodity Levy (SCL)...
On 22 May 2020, Sri Lanka made changes to...
Cigarette Taxes: The cost of failure
The Government proposed a policy to syste...
Cigarette Taxation: 20 Billion Extra Rev...
The Government could raise an extra Rs. 2...
Sri Lanka’s Fiscal Outlook 2020
The International Monterey Fund estimates...
Tax Revenue Categories
How could COVID-19 affect government reve...
Overestimations in Revenue Expectations
Governments have consistently overestimated revenue and thes...
Cigarette Tax Indexation: Getting it Rig...
The indexation method introduced in 2019...
Tobacco Policy: Mitigating the Influence...
The Hidden Side of Cigarette Pricing
The media in Sri Lanka has often misrepre...
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Featured
Will the Increase in Cigarette Taxes Meet Budgeted...
On the 1st of Jan 2023, the government increased excises taxes on cigarettes by 20% as follows: Size Old Excise Tax per Cigarette New Excise Tax per Cigarette...
Read More
Government revenue set to rise by LKR 922 billion...
The approved budget estimates for 2025 projects Government Revenue to increase to LKR 5,012 billion. This includes non-tax revenue but excludes provincial revenue and grants. The figure marks an increase of LKR 922 billion—or 23 percen...
Read More
Sri Lanka's No. 1 export to the US faces a potenti...
On 2 April, US President Donald Trump imposed a 44 percent tariff on Sri Lankan exports to the United States. With apparel comprising 64 percent of these exports—valued at nearly USD 1.8 billion in 2023—Sri Lanka’s apparel...
Read More
