News

Diplomatic push by Sri Lanka to reach deal with US

03 Apr, 2025

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By Easwaran Rutnam

Sri Lanka has launched a diplomatic push in an attempt to reach a deal with the US after President Donald Trump slapped Sri Lanka with a 44% tariff on imports.

Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Anil Jayantha, said that Sri Lanka cannot force the US to change its policies.

However, he said Sri Lanka will attempt to reach an agreement favorable to both countries.

Issuing a video statement, the Minister also said that Sri Lanka will look at alternatives in the event talks with the US fail.

US President Donald Trump slapped Sri Lanka with a 44% tariff on imports as part of reciprocal tariffs imposed on dozens of nations.

The tariff imposed on Sri Lanka was among the highest on a list of countries mentioned by the US administration.

The 44 percent tariff was imposed on Sri Lanka for the 88 percent tariff it has imposed on products from the US.

Trump said that despite a commitment to the principle of reciprocity, the trading relationship between the United States and its trading partners has become highly unbalanced, particularly in recent years.

The US President said that efforts by the United States to address these imbalances had stalled. (Colombo Gazette)

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