Sri Lanka's 2026 national budget made a major commitment to the digital economy, with the Ministry of Digital Economy receiving a multi-component technology investment package. The centrepiece is a Rs. 1.5 billion startup support fund that will provide financing, mentorship, and co-working infrastructure to early-stage technology ventures, aiming to retain tech talent that has historically migrated abroad.
The budget also allocated Rs. 500 million for establishing commercial data centres to meet growing domestic demand for cloud infrastructure, and a further Rs. 750 million separately earmarked for Sri Lanka's first AI-dedicated data centre. This facility is intended to underpin public sector AI applications across healthcare, agriculture, education, and tax administration. More than 260 government institutions are already connected to the national digital payments ecosystem, and QR code payment fees have been waived for transactions below Rs. 5,000 to accelerate adoption among small businesses and individual consumers.
Government Allocates Rs. 1.5 Billion for Tech Startups and Plans First AI Data Centre
