The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has launched the Sri Lanka–Vietnam Business Council to strengthen partnerships and support the ambition of achieving US$1 billion in bilateral trade by 2030.
According to Daily FT, the council begins with 30 founding members and becomes the Chamber’s 22nd bilateral business council.
Chamber Chairperson Krishan Balendra identified manufacturing, agriculture, logistics, tourism, ICT, renewable energy and professional services as promising areas for cooperation.
Vietnamese Ambassador Trinh Thi Tam stressed that stronger connections between businesses were essential to translating diplomatic goodwill into economic progress. She encouraged participation by smaller enterprises and young entrepreneurs.
Inaugural President Mahen Kariyawasan called for business partnerships, trade delegations and investment promotion to deliver tangible benefits. He emphasised that small and medium-sized enterprises should have opportunities alongside larger corporations.
Improved air connectivity is also supporting closer engagement, with Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet services facilitating travel for businesses, investors and tourists.
The initiative builds on the Sri Lanka–Vietnam Trade, Investment and Tourism Cooperation Forum held at Hilton Colombo in May, where Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya outlined the US$1 billion trade ambition.
At that forum, she said bilateral trade reached approximately US$324 million in 2025, increasing by more than 16% from the previous year. Sri Lankan exports to Vietnam rose by nearly 31%, while imports increased by around 14%.
She also positioned Vietnam as a gateway to Southeast Asia and regional value chains, highlighting opportunities to learn from its experience in trade facilitation, industrial policy and export competitiveness as Sri Lanka pursues economic growth.
