The digital economy can boost Sri Lanka's GDP by the year 2030.

Chairman of the Federation of Information Technology Sri Lanka (FITIS), Indika De Soysa, has projected a substantial boost of 15 billion US dollars to Sri Lanka's gross domestic product (GDP) through the expansion of the digital economy by the year 2030. Presently, the digital economy contributes 3.7 billion US dollars to the GDP. Indika De Soysa made these remarks during a press conference today (20) at the Presidential Media Centre (PMC), where he discussed the "DIGIECON Sri Lanka 2030" programme, aligning with President Ranil Wickremesinghe's vision.

The upcoming 41st National Information Technology Conference, themed 'Towards a Sustainable Digital Society,' is scheduled to take place from October 11 to 13 at the Shangri-La Hotel in Colombo. Organised by the Sri Lanka Computer Association, this event aims to leverage technology to accelerate Sri Lanka's economic growth through the DIGIECON 2030 programme, aligning with the government's vision of "Towards a Sustainable Digital Society" under the guidance of State Minister of Technology, Mr. Kanaka Herath.

De Soysa emphasised the global trend of developed countries contributing approximately 40% of their GDP from the digital economy, while Sri Lanka currently stands at 5%. The goal is to elevate this contribution to 20% and increase the current 3.7 billion US dollars in GDP to 15 billion US dollars by 2030. Additionally, a comprehensive set of guidelines for the next seven years is being developed in collaboration with the DIGIECON 2030 government programme to enhance technological knowledge among Sri Lankans. Furthermore, the conference will introduce a digital economy master plan and regulatory policy framework by 2030, aiming to accelerate the country's digital economy. The event will feature over thirty expert speakers, both local and international, addressing key areas such as financial technology, education technology, tourism technology, information security, agricultural technology, and electronic health services.