Sri Lanka plans to strengthen its rail ties with Russia by exploring the purchase of wagons, locomotives, and spare parts. The move comes as the country seeks to modernize its aging rail network and expand regional cooperation in transportation, according to updates from the Transport Ministry. Russia is viewed as a potential supplier to help refresh a system that has long served the island nation and connected communities across the island. The focus is on securing reliable rolling stock, engines, and related equipment to support both passenger and freight services.
Officials note that Sri Lanka has one of the oldest railways in Asia, spanning about 1,500 kilometers with 368 operational stations. The government is keen to deepen collaboration with Russia in this sector and anticipates Russia’s assistance in delivering new wagons, locomotives, and modernization kits. The partnership is also seen as a pathway to raise rail reliability, improve service frequency, and reduce disruptions that affect daily commutes and business supply chains. The overarching goal is to bolster a network that plays a crucial role in economic development and regional connectivity.
Beyond rolling stock, the discussions include training programs for Sri Lankan professionals in Russia. The objective is to cultivate local expertise in rail operation, maintenance, and safety management so that knowledge and skills can be transferred back to Sri Lanka. This approach would support long term sustainability of the railway system and help standardize practices with international partners. In addition, authorities are exploring opportunities to manufacture spare parts domestically, ensuring a more resilient supply chain and shorter repair cycles in the future.
In another part of the broader economic dialogue, the same officials indicated interest in purchasing chemical fertilizers from Russia using payments in the Sri Lankan rupee. The expectation is that fertilizer pricing would become more accessible for farmers, contributing to agricultural stability and productivity across provinces. The move aligns with efforts to diversify import sources while strengthening financial arrangements that ease payment flows for essential agricultural inputs. Market observers view these discussions as indicators of a broader strategy to integrate Russia into Sri Lanka’s critical infrastructure and value chains, with a focus on reliability, cost efficiency, and local capacity building.