Sri Lanka, Aug. 6 -- After years of being defined by imported vehicles, Sri Lanka's automotive industry is beginning to take on a different shape.

The country's policy focus is increasingly shifting towards building vehicles locally, signalling a broader push to create manufacturing jobs, deepen industrial capacity and retain more value within the economy.

More than 15 vehicle assembly plants are now operating in Sri Lanka, supported by a policy requiring locally assembled vehicles to contain at least 20 percent domestic content, according to the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce's Motor Vehicle Industry Report 2025/26.

The development marks a notable evolution for an industry that has long revolved around vehicle imports and distribution. Wh...