COLOMBO, May 15 -- Sri Lanka may have to seek an 18th program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as mounting external shocks threaten to undermine the country's fragile economic recovery ahead of major debt repayments due from 2028, economist Dr Ganeshan Wignaraja has warned.

The warning was made during the fourth Strategic Dialogue organized by the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS), which has now published a comprehensive report capturing the key perspectives and policy concerns raised during the discussion.

Addressing the dialogue on the theme 'A Global Economy in the Shadow of Middle-East War: Implications for Sri Lanka's Debt Recovery', Dr Wignaraja said the combined economic impact of Cyclone Ditwah and the ongoi...