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Sri Lanka

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Sri Lanka. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Colombo

Head of State

President Ranil Wickremesinghe

Head of Government

President Ranil Wickremesinghe

Sri Lankan monks arrive at court after their arrest in Negombo on Sunday. Photo: AFP

Drugs

Sri Lanka arrests 22 monks with US$3.5 million worth of cannabis in record haul

Each monk was found with 5kg of kush concealed within false walls in his luggage at Colombo airport.

27 Apr 2026 - 2:46PM

India

Chinese drone discovery sharpens focus on Asia’s undersea security race

24 Apr 2026 - 7:27PM

US, Israel war on Iran

Why US tanker blockades are raising risks for Southeast Asian strait controllers

24 Apr 2026 - 3:10PMvideocam

Malaysia

US intercepts Iranian tankers near India, Malaysia amid Hormuz tensions

The vessels were ordered to move away from their positions as Washington and Tehran intensify their stand-off over the waterway.

23 Apr 2026 - 10:27AMvideocam

Iranian walks past a billboard reading “The Strait of Hormuz remains closed” at the Revolution Square in Tehran on Wednesday. Photo: AFP/Getty Images/TNS

Food and agriculture

Asia braces for food shortages as ‘super El Nino’ and Iran war collide

A precarious planting season looms amid suppressed rainfall and soaring fertiliser costs threatening the region’s harvests.

22 Apr 2026 - 5:06PM

US, Israel war on Iran

Asia’s energy supply at breaking point as US blockades Hormuz

Nearly 90 per cent of the region’s crude oil is now at risk as stalled peace talks and a naval stand-off raise the spectre of stagflation.

14 Apr 2026 - 6:09PM

US, Israel war on Iran

UN warns 8 million in Asia-Pacific risk poverty if Iran war drags on

A new UNDP report has forecast job losses, crippling inflation and food insecurity, with the poorest nations brutally exposed to the oil shock.

14 Apr 2026 - 5:26PM

A farmer sprinkles fertiliser on crops in a field on the outskirts of Amritsar, India, on April 9. Experts have warned that the fertiliser crunch across Asia-Pacific may have lasting effects. Photo: AFP

The Philippines

Manila vs Hong Kong: the 2 sides of Asia’s housing affordability crisis

Asia is home to 60 per cent of the world’s slum dwellers and some of the planet’s most expensive real estate.

12 Apr 2026 - 4:00PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Fuel, food and fury: how the Iran war could topple South Asian governments

Analysts warn the crisis is threatening to spill over into wider economic and political instability.

5 Apr 2026 - 1:30PM

Scams and swindles

Cambodia’s high-stakes war on online scam compounds

Cambodia has vowed to stamp out the scam compounds on its soil by month’s end – but perpetrators remain drawn to the potential for huge profits.

4 Apr 2026 - 6:22AMvideocam

Cybersecurity

152 arrested in Sri Lanka in alleged Chinese-run cyberscam

Among those arrested in a raid on a hotel rented by Chinese men in the coastal town of Chilaw were 133 Chinese people.

3 Apr 2026 - 11:23PMvideocam

Over 150 people, including 133 Chinese, have been arrested in Sri Lanka in relation to alleged cybercrime. File image: AFP

Iran

Sri Lanka’s refusal to host US warplanes before Iran war risks trade backlash

Trying to keep conflict at arm’s length by distancing itself from the US could bring Sri Lanka’s economy ‘to its knees’, analysts say.

25 Mar 2026 - 5:31PMvideocam

Diplomacy

Opinion | Look East? South Asia’s fate is far more intertwined with Middle East

Beyond oil, remittances and cultural ties, trade and defence pacts in recent years have added to strategic and security interconnectedness.

24 Mar 2026 - 9:04AMvideocam

India

India steps up regional energy diplomacy, supplies Bangladesh with diesel

Being a ‘first responder’ in the current energy crisis is in line with India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.

20 Mar 2026 - 8:52PMvideocam

Fuel nozzles at a Bharat Petroleum gas station in New Delhi. Photo: AFP

War and conflict

Opinion | US attack on IRIS Dena shows that wars know no borders

The sinking of an Iranian naval frigate off Sri Lanka’s coast is a grim reminder of how easily conflicts can spill into unexpected places.

15 Mar 2026 - 8:20AMvideocam

Injured Iranian sailors are seen at Galle National Hospital on March 5, following a submarine attack on the Iranian military ship IRIS Dena off the coast of Sri Lanka. Photo: Reuters

US, Israel war on Iran

No longer safe: Iran war puts 9 million Indian workers in the line of fire

As missiles fly, drone strikes from Dubai to Doha are shattering the illusion of safety for millions of Indian expats living in the Gulf.

14 Mar 2026 - 4:00PMvideocam

Iran

What happens to the Iranian sailors stranded in Sri Lanka?

The sinking of an Iranian frigate and a leaked US cable have dragged the debt-burdened South Asian nation into a Middle Eastern conflict.

11 Mar 2026 - 12:33PM

US, Israel war on Iran

Australia to send missiles to UAE, deploy reconnaissance plane, but no troops

Prime minister emphasises ‘purely defensive’ role for Australia as Iranian strikes escalate across the Gulf.

10 Mar 2026 - 9:15AM

A Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail aircraft in formation with US and Australian fighter jets. Photo: Australian Defence Force via AFP

US, Israel war on Iran

Sri Lanka hospital discharges 22 Iranian sailors rescued after warship sinking

The sailors were treated at Karapitiya Hospital in Galle after the IRIS Dena was torpedoed just outside Sri Lanka’s territorial waters.

8 Mar 2026 - 2:30PM

War and conflict

Video | Iranian sailors saved from sea after US torpedo strike

Sri Lanka’s president said ‘our approach is that every single life is as precious as our own’ after the naval rescue.

6 Mar 2026 - 8:24PM

US, Israel war on Iran

‘Not biased’: Sri Lanka takes control of Iranian ship, brings crew to shore

‘Every life is as precious as our own,’ said President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, amid transfer of over 200 sailors after distress call.

6 Mar 2026 - 8:35PMvideocam

Iran

How far could the war with Iran spread beyond the Middle East?

From Turkey and the Caucasus to South Asia, analysts warn the war could ignite new flashpoints along regional fault lines.

6 Mar 2026 - 6:29PMvideocam

The sun sets behind a plume of smoke from a US-Israeli military strike in Tehran, Iran, on Tuesday. Photo: AP

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran damage report: who and what has been targeted in US-Israel strikes?

The US says it has hit more than 2,000 targets in less than a week, while Israel says it has hit hundreds of sites across the country.

6 Mar 2026 - 10:36AM

Australia

Albanese says Australian troops were on board US sub that sank Iranian ship

The prime minister said the military personnel were on the vessel as part of training arrangements under the Aukus deal.

6 Mar 2026 - 9:34AMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Trump demands Iran forces surrender or die, wants say on next leader

US president dismisses Khamenei’s son as a ‘lightweight’ and orders Iranian forces to lay down arms or face ‘guaranteed death’.

6 Mar 2026 - 5:40PMvideocam

US President Donald Trump at the White House on Sunday. Photo: AP

US, Israel war on Iran

US submarine strike on Iranian warship near Sri Lanka rattles the region

Experts say the strike highlights the risk of the conflict spreading into Asian waters and tests India’s careful diplomatic balancing.

5 Mar 2026 - 6:00PMvideocam

Iranian warship IRIS Dena is seen in the Bay of Bengal during the International Fleet Review held at Visakhapatnam, India, on February 18. Photo: AP

US, Israel war on Iran

A guide to how the Iran war has ricocheted across the Middle East and beyond

From sunken warships to closed airspaces, here is a country-by-country breakdown of the conflict’s impact so far.

5 Mar 2026 - 10:01AMvideocam

China trade

Despite loss of Panama Canal, China investing US$23.9b in global seaports: study

Beijing funds 363 ports outside the Panama Canal to safeguard against East-West decoupling and US bid to curb China’s supply chain influence.

6 Mar 2026 - 10:20AMvideocam

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Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka arrests 22 monks with US$3.5 million worth of cannabis in record haul

Each monk was found with 5kg of kush concealed within false walls in his luggage at Colombo airport.

Chinese drone discovery sharpens focus on Asia’s undersea security race

Why US tanker blockades are raising risks for Southeast Asian strait controllers

US intercepts Iranian tankers near India, Malaysia amid Hormuz tensions

The vessels were ordered to move away from their positions as Washington and Tehran intensify their stand-off over the waterway.

Asia braces for food shortages as ‘super El Nino’ and Iran war collide

A precarious planting season looms amid suppressed rainfall and soaring fertiliser costs threatening the region’s harvests.

Asia’s energy supply at breaking point as US blockades Hormuz

Nearly 90 per cent of the region’s crude oil is now at risk as stalled peace talks and a naval stand-off raise the spectre of stagflation.

UN warns 8 million in Asia-Pacific risk poverty if Iran war drags on

A new UNDP report has forecast job losses, crippling inflation and food insecurity, with the poorest nations brutally exposed to the oil shock.

Manila vs Hong Kong: the 2 sides of Asia’s housing affordability crisis

Asia is home to 60 per cent of the world’s slum dwellers and some of the planet’s most expensive real estate.

Fuel, food and fury: how the Iran war could topple South Asian governments

Analysts warn the crisis is threatening to spill over into wider economic and political instability.

Cambodia’s high-stakes war on online scam compounds

Cambodia has vowed to stamp out the scam compounds on its soil by month’s end – but perpetrators remain drawn to the potential for huge profits.

152 arrested in Sri Lanka in alleged Chinese-run cyberscam

Among those arrested in a raid on a hotel rented by Chinese men in the coastal town of Chilaw were 133 Chinese people.

Sri Lanka’s refusal to host US warplanes before Iran war risks trade backlash

Trying to keep conflict at arm’s length by distancing itself from the US could bring Sri Lanka’s economy ‘to its knees’, analysts say.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | Look East? South Asia’s fate is far more intertwined with Middle East

Beyond oil, remittances and cultural ties, trade and defence pacts in recent years have added to strategic and security interconnectedness.

India steps up regional energy diplomacy, supplies Bangladesh with diesel

Being a ‘first responder’ in the current energy crisis is in line with India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.

Opinion | US attack on IRIS Dena shows that wars know no borders

The sinking of an Iranian naval frigate off Sri Lanka’s coast is a grim reminder of how easily conflicts can spill into unexpected places.

No longer safe: Iran war puts 9 million Indian workers in the line of fire

As missiles fly, drone strikes from Dubai to Doha are shattering the illusion of safety for millions of Indian expats living in the Gulf.

What happens to the Iranian sailors stranded in Sri Lanka?

The sinking of an Iranian frigate and a leaked US cable have dragged the debt-burdened South Asian nation into a Middle Eastern conflict.

Australia to send missiles to UAE, deploy reconnaissance plane, but no troops

Prime minister emphasises ‘purely defensive’ role for Australia as Iranian strikes escalate across the Gulf.

Sri Lanka hospital discharges 22 Iranian sailors rescued after warship sinking

The sailors were treated at Karapitiya Hospital in Galle after the IRIS Dena was torpedoed just outside Sri Lanka’s territorial waters.

.css-1t72pn8{color:#C79A00;}Video | Iranian sailors saved from sea after US torpedo strike

Sri Lanka’s president said ‘our approach is that every single life is as precious as our own’ after the naval rescue.

‘Not biased’: Sri Lanka takes control of Iranian ship, brings crew to shore

‘Every life is as precious as our own,’ said President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, amid transfer of over 200 sailors after distress call.

How far could the war with Iran spread beyond the Middle East?

From Turkey and the Caucasus to South Asia, analysts warn the war could ignite new flashpoints along regional fault lines.

Iran damage report: who and what has been targeted in US-Israel strikes?

The US says it has hit more than 2,000 targets in less than a week, while Israel says it has hit hundreds of sites across the country.

Albanese says Australian troops were on board US sub that sank Iranian ship

The prime minister said the military personnel were on the vessel as part of training arrangements under the Aukus deal.

Trump demands Iran forces surrender or die, wants say on next leader

US president dismisses Khamenei’s son as a ‘lightweight’ and orders Iranian forces to lay down arms or face ‘guaranteed death’.

US submarine strike on Iranian warship near Sri Lanka rattles the region

Experts say the strike highlights the risk of the conflict spreading into Asian waters and tests India’s careful diplomatic balancing.

A guide to how the Iran war has ricocheted across the Middle East and beyond

From sunken warships to closed airspaces, here is a country-by-country breakdown of the conflict’s impact so far.

Despite loss of Panama Canal, China investing US$23.9b in global seaports: study

Beijing funds 363 ports outside the Panama Canal to safeguard against East-West decoupling and US bid to curb China’s supply chain influence.

Opinion | Look East? South Asia’s fate is far more intertwined with Middle East

Video | Iranian sailors saved from sea after US torpedo strike