Adani-Backed Colombo Terminal Drives Surge in Sri Lanka's Foreign Investments
The Adani-backed Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT) became Sri Lanka’s largest foreign direct investment contributor in 2025, injecting $229 million into state-of-the-art port infrastructure. This investment significantly boosted Sri Lanka’s overall foreign inflows to $827 million, a 138% increase from 2024. The terminal is poised to expand Colombo’s capacity substantially, enhancing its status as a key regional transshipment hub.
In the first nine months of 2025, the Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT), supported by Adani International Port Holdings and local partners John Keells Holdings and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, emerged as the largest foreign direct investment contributor to Sri Lanka, channeling $229 million into advanced port infrastructure. Overall foreign direct investment inflows into Sri Lanka reached $827 million, marking a substantial 138% rise compared to 2024, reflecting renewed investor confidence in the country's business environment. The CWIT project, valued at $800 million and operational since April 2025, features a fully automated deepwater terminal with a 1,400-meter quay and 20-meter depth, capable of handling approximately 3.2 million TEUs annually. This addition is expected to ease congestion at Colombo Port, one of South Asia's busiest ports, and solidify its role as a strategic transshipment hub. The inflows came from various channels including equity capital, reinvested earnings, intra-company foreign borrowings, and long-term commercial loans, with $124 million secured through fresh project agreements. The success of CWIT exemplifies the growing India-Sri Lanka economic collaboration, supporting the island’s efforts to leverage its proximity to India for growth in logistics and trade sectors, aligning with its Vision 2025 goals for economic advancement.
