Sri Lanka spent more than Rs. 195.95 billion on vehicle imports in the first three months of 2026 — a 900% jump on the same quarter last year, according to Central Bank data cited by NewsFirst.
March 2026 alone accounted for nearly Rs. 62.33 billion in vehicle imports, covering both private and commercial classes. The Central Bank said the first-quarter expenditure represents a 900% increase over the corresponding period of 2025, when the import freeze had only just been lifted and the dealer pipeline was largely empty.
Unit data released by the Department of Motor Traffic on May 13 extends the picture into April. The DMT said more than 215,000 vehicles were imported in the first four months of the year, with motorcycles the largest single category at over 144,000 units. Cars accounted for over 45,000 of the four-month total. The Central Bank’s Rs. 195.95 billion Q1 figure tracks the bulk of those January-to-March arrivals at landed value.
The Q1 2026 figure tracks the surge already visible in registration data. The Department of Motor Traffic recorded an all-time monthly high of 55,470 registrations in March on a front-loaded buying rush ahead of the Social Security Contribution Levy (SSCL), with HNB Stockbrokers expecting momentum to moderate from April as pent-up demand is absorbed.
The pace also continues from the USD 2.04 billion full-year outlay in 2025 — the third-highest annual import bill on record — and is consistent with processing delays at the RMV that stretched one-day services to six or seven working days after imports reopened.
The Central Bank has previously flagged that vehicle imports are among the most significant single-category drains on the current account. Sri Lanka still posted a Q1 current account surplus of USD 531 million on the strength of remittances and tourism, but the trade gap widened on rising oil and capital-goods bills alongside the vehicle surge.
Source: Vehicle Imports Surge 900 Percent In First Quarter Of 2026 — NewsFirst, May 2.
