Sri Lanka, May 18 -- The depreciation of the Sri Lankan Rupee during this year has been primarily driven by the ongoing crisis in the Middle East and the resulting increase in global oil prices, the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe has stated.

Speaking at a media briefing held today (18), Governor Weerasinghe noted that rising foreign exchange requirements for oil imports have placed additional pressure on the rupee.

He further pointed out that in 2026, the Sri Lankan rupee depreciated by 4.8%, while other regional currencies have also weakened, including the Indian rupee by 6.4%, the Nepalese rupee by 6.2%, and the Indonesian currency by 5.2%.

According to him, this is not a situation unique to...