Source: Daily News, Central Bank Governor (CB) Dr Nandalal Weerasinghe revealed that Indian tourists visiting Sri Lanka can now use the Indian Rupee (INR) for local transactions.
Dr Weerasinghe reiterated that the CB’s decision to make the INR a designated currency not only enables trade settlement between the two nations, but also allows for Indian tourists visiting Sri Lanka to use the INR for transactions. He added that moves will be made to support digital payment interfaces linking the two countries.
According to Dr Weerasinghe, it will be a welcome facility for Indian tourists visiting Sri Lanka to make transactions in the country with ease since they need not change their INR to SLR before visiting the country.
The Central Bank Governor was delivering the keynote address at the webinar on ‘Economic Scenario of Sri Lanka: Current Status and Way Ahead’, organized by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), on Tuesday.
In his address, Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay highlighted the areas of prospective economic cooperation between India and Sri Lanka. He particularly focused on connectivity, IT, renewable energy and tourism. Remarks by the Central Bank Governor come a day after Prime Minister 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 the 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.
