Sri Lanka is accelerating efforts to modernize its intellectual property ecosystem, with policymakers, regulators, law enforcement agencies, industry leaders and legal experts calling for stronger IP protection to support innovation, attract investment and deepen economic ties with the United States.

The call came during the Sri Lanka-USA Business Council (SLUSABC) of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce breakfast forum, titled “The IP Trade Corridor – Strengthening the U.S.-Sri Lanka Economic Partnership through Intellectual Property Protection.” Stakeholders highlighted progress in digitizing the jurisdiction’s IP system, while underscoring the need to strengthen institutional capacity, enforcement and public awareness.

Opening the forum, SLUSABC president Tilak Gunawardana said robust IP protection was increasingly important as Sri Lanka sought to strengthen its economic partnership with the U.S., one of its key export markets. Stronger IP safeguards, he noted, would help build investor confidence, protect local innovation and enable Sri Lankan businesses to access higher-value global markets.

A key development highlighted at the forum was the National Intellectual Property Office’s (NIPO) ongoing digital transformation. NIPO director Nalinda Atapattu said the agency had completed a major digitization programme supported by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), converting decades of paper records into searchable electronic files. Trademark searches have also been available online since February 2026, with the database integrated into WIPO’s Global Brand Database. NIPO is targeting an average IP registration timeline of around eight months by mid-2027.

However, legal and industry stakeholders said capacity and enforcement challenges remain. FJ&G de Saram junior counsel Drushika Amirthanayagam said Sri Lanka’s legislative framework was fundamentally sound, but limited institutional resources and lengthy proceedings could create uncertainty for businesses, particularly smaller enterprises. Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies and Sri Lanka Customs highlighted the need for stronger coordination, specialized training and greater public awareness to combat increasingly sophisticated counterfeit operations.

The forum also examined emerging IP issues across the digital economy, apparel sector and geographical indications. Microsoft country lead for Sri Lanka and the Maldives Jiffry Ilham noted the growing intersection between IP protection, cybersecurity and digital governance, while Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) Logistics Sub-committee chairman Sean Van Dort warned that counterfeiters are increasingly reverse-engineering products and exploiting global supply chains. NIPO also identified geographical indications, including Ceylon Cinnamon, as an area with significant potential for Sri Lanka.

The discussions underscored a broader need to build an IP culture across the country through education, awareness and stronger commercialisation of innovation.

NIPO is expanding outreach through universities, provincial chambers and government offices, while stakeholders called for greater IP education among students and entrepreneurs. The forum concluded that continued investment in digitisation, enforcement, institutional capacity and public awareness will be critical for Sri Lanka to fully leverage IP as a driver of innovation, exports and deeper economic engagement with the U.S.

- Excel V. Dyquiangco