Nepal is keen to ink a free trade agreement with Sri Lanka in the future to increase bilateral trade, Nepal’s President Bidya Devi Bhandari said yesterday. Speaking to Daily News Business at the Colombo Hilton, she said that the potential to increase trade between the two countries is immense and an FTA would further help to boost trade.
The President who arrived in Sri Lanka on an invitation from Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena to participate in the International Vesak Day celebrations said that the current SAARC Preferential Trading Arrangement (SAPTA) will help to boost trade.She said that they will also re-look at launching a direct air link between Colombo and Katmandu again.
Nepal Airlines which launched direct flights to Colombo halted it after around five months of operation.
Meanwhile the President of the Nepal Sri Lanka Business Council Jagath Savanadasa said that they have reactivated the council and are planning a series of meetings with business leaders in Nepal to woo them to invest in Sri Lanka.
It was also disclosed that Nepal Airlines which has investor interest with China will resume Colombo flights when they launch additional flights to China, most probably via Colombo.
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