Indian tourists visiting Sri Lanka can pay in INR

Indian tourists visiting Sri Lanka will be able to pay for transactions in Indian Rupees (INR), the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Nandalal Weerasinghe said.

Delivering a special address in the Webinar on ‘Economic Scenario of Sri Lanka: Current Status and Way Ahead’, organized by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the High Commissioner of India highlighted the areas of prospective economic cooperation between India and Sri Lanka.

He particularly focused on connectivity, IT, renewable energy and tourism, the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka said.

Delivering the keynote address, the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Nandalal Weerasinghe reiterated that making INR a designated currency by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka enables not only trade settlement between the two countries in INR but also Indian tourists coming to Sri Lanka can use INR for transactions.

He also expressed support for the linking digital payment interfaces between the two countries.

Remarks by the Governor of Sri Lanka’s central Bank come a day after the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Dinesh Gunawardena launched a Special Cover commemorating Sita Temple (Seetha Eliya) in Central Sri Lanka.

The Temple is believed to mark the place of Ashok Vatika in the epic Ramayana and is a great hit with Indian tourists, as part of Ramayana circle which the Sri Lankan Government is seeking to promote.

Tourists from India traditionally constitute the largest segment of international tourists coming to Sri Lanka. (Colombo Gazette)