Port City Colombo has welcomed a high-level Omani delegation, marking another step in efforts to strengthen investment ties between Oman and Sri Lanka. The engagement focused on trade, special economic zones and opportunities for Omani businesses.
Port City Colombo strengthens its role as a gateway for Omani investment into South Asia
Port City Colombo has welcomed a senior delegation from the Sultanate of Oman as both countries look to deepen commercial and investment cooperation and establish a stronger investment corridor between Oman and Sri Lanka.
The delegation was led by Pankaj Khimji, Adviser for Foreign Trade and International Cooperation at Oman’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, and included Ahmed Al Rashdi, Ambassador of Oman to Sri Lanka, and Moosa Al Kharusi, Director of the Projects Division at the Ministry’s Adviser’s Office.
The visit follows an earlier engagement in Muscat, where the Colombo Port City Economic Commission and CHEC Port City Colombo held an investor forum and meetings with senior Omani government and business stakeholders. These included the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) and Invest Oman.
The latest visit represents a continuation of those discussions, with both sides exploring how stronger institutional links and private-sector engagement could support a more structured Oman-Sri Lanka investment corridor.
Discussions during the visit centred on bilateral investment opportunities, the Oman-South Asia Investment and Trade Corridor and potential cooperation between the two countries’ respective special economic zones. The parties also examined the process for bringing Omani companies into Port City Colombo’s Special Economic Zone ecosystem.
Addressing the delegation, Colombo Port City Economic Commission Director General Revan Wickramasuriya highlighted the investment environment available within the zone. He said the Commission is committed to providing a transparent, fair and facilitative framework for businesses operating in the SEZ, with investors treated equitably under its regulatory framework.
The emphasis on regulatory clarity is particularly relevant as Sri Lanka seeks to attract more foreign direct investment and position its new economic zones as platforms for international businesses. For potential investors, predictable rules, institutional credibility and access to regional markets can be important considerations when selecting an investment destination.
Pankaj Khimji, who is also a director of the Khimji Ramdas Group, said the existing commercial relationship between Oman and Sri Lanka provides a foundation for further expansion. Bilateral trade turnover reached approximately US$223 million in 2022, compared with US$118 million in 2018, according to figures highlighted during the engagement.
Khimji argued that these figures should be regarded as a starting point rather than an end goal. He encouraged Sri Lankan entrepreneurs and investors to view Oman not only as a market of around five million people but also as a platform for accessing wider markets.
At the same time, he encouraged Omani businesses to view Port City Colombo as more than another investment destination, positioning it as a potential gateway into South Asia.
The broader objective is to move beyond established diplomatic and trade relationships towards measurable investment and business activity. Such an approach could create opportunities across sectors while strengthening commercial links between the Gulf and South Asian economies.
The engagement also highlights the growing importance of Oman Sri Lanka investment cooperation as both countries seek to expand economic partnerships. Oman’s position as a regional business and logistics hub, combined with Sri Lanka’s location along major Indian Ocean trade routes, creates potential for greater connectivity in trade, services and investment.
For Sri Lanka, attracting Omani companies into the SEZ could contribute to the country’s broader foreign investment ambitions. For Omani businesses, Port City Colombo SEZ offers a purpose-built platform designed to facilitate international business activity and provide access to South Asian markets.
Port City Colombo is governed as a Special Economic Zone under the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act No. 11 of 2021. Its development has been accompanied by efforts to attract international businesses and investment across financial, commercial, professional and other services.
The latest engagement forms part of Port City Colombo’s broader outreach to Gulf markets. More than 175 companies are now registered within the SEZ, while more than US$1 billion in investment was secured between the fourth quarter of 2025 and the second quarter of 2026, according to the information provided.
The growing interest from Gulf countries could therefore become an increasingly important component of Port City Colombo’s international investment strategy. Continued government-to-government engagement, investor forums and private-sector discussions may help translate that interest into actual projects and commercial operations.
For Oman and Sri Lanka, the latest delegation signals that the relationship is moving towards a more investment-focused phase. For Port City Colombo, it also reinforces its ambition to serve as a regional business platform connecting international investors with opportunities across South Asia.