Sri Lanka-US trade talks still on: Minister

Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath says 95% of trade talks done, with negotiations still ongoing Notes Finance and Trade Ministries lead negotiations facilitated by Foreign Ministry

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FOREIGN Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath yesterday said trade negotiations between Sri Lanka and the US are still ongoing, with around 95% of discussions already completed.

Herath confirmed to the media that while substantial progress has been made, talks have not yet concluded, as Sri Lanka continues efforts to secure further tariff relief from the US.

He noted that the Foreign Ministry's role has been limited to facilitating and coordinating discussions, with negotiations being led by the Finance Ministry in collaboration with the Trade Ministry and their US counterparts.

The talks follow a series of tariff decisions announced by the US in 2025. On 2 April 2025, US President Donald Trump imposed a 44% reciprocal tariff on Sri Lankan exports, citing calculations that alleged Sri Lanka imposed tariffs of up to 88% on US goods. The implementation of the measure was subsequently delayed by 90 days.