The Cabinet has approved the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) on ‘Production, Assembly and Manufacturing of Vehicles in Sri Lanka’ prepared by the Ministry of Industry, focusing on an expeditious local alternative to the import of vehicles. Industry Minister Wimal Weerawansa points out that this will lead to a huge revolution in the vehicle assembly industry in Sri Lanka.
The Minister said that after the cessation of vehicle imports, Sri Lankan auto importers had held several rounds of discussions with them and their parent companies were willing to invest in the local vehicle assembly industry and pointed out the need for a ‘standard vehicle assembly procedure in Sri Lanka’. Indian, Japanese and Korean automakers are among those mulling assembling vehicles in Sri Lanka.
He said that the establishment of such a state-of-the-art commercial policy in Sri Lanka would enable the people of Sri Lanka to buy vehicles assembled in the country at a reasonable price, thereby creating a high potential for the development of the automotive industry.
“Accordingly, not only imported cars but also motorcycles and electric three wheelers will be assembled in the country,” he added.
