India tourists to Sri Lanka can now pay in Indian Rupees

There is now good news for Indian tourists heading to Sri Lanka: they can make payments in the island nation in Indian rupees.

The Sri Lankan media on Wednesday quoted Central Bank Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe as making the announcement.

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He said making Indian rupee a designated currency by the Central Bank enabled not only trade settlement between the two countries in the Indian currency but will help Indian tourists coming to Sri Lanka.

Weerasinghe also expressed support for linking digital payment interfaces between the two countries, the Daily FT newspaper quoted him as saying.

He was giving his keynote address at a webinar on the economic situation in Sri Lanka organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

Indian tourists

In the first 23 days of April, India topped the tourist inflow, accounting for 17 per cent of all arrivals or 13,839. To date, Indians have accounted for the second highest tourist traffic at 60,271 arrivals.

The remarks came a day after Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena launched a Special Cover commemorating Sita Temple (Seetha Eliya) in Nuwara Eliya in Sri Lanka.

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The temple is believed to mark the place of Ashok Vatika in the epic Ramayana and is a great hit with Indian tourists.

(With agency inputs)