{"id":157521,"date":"2026-07-27T16:38:17","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T23:38:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=157521"},"modified":"2026-07-27T16:38:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T23:38:17","slug":"sri-lanka-must-build-heavy-industries-before-economic-frustration-turns-into-instability","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2026\/07\/27\/sri-lanka-must-build-heavy-industries-before-economic-frustration-turns-into-instability\/","title":{"rendered":"Sri Lanka Must Build Heavy Industries Before Economic Frustration Turns into Instability"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dr. Sarath Obeysekera<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

From the events around Tiananmen Square in China to periods of political unrest and mass protests witnessed over the years in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Thailand, history reminds us that governments must pay close attention to the aspirations of their people. Although each country\u2019s circumstances are different, one common lesson is that economic opportunity is essential for long-term stability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sri Lanka should learn from these experiences. Creating only digital and AI-related jobs will not be enough to provide employment for the thousands of young people entering the workforce each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We must also develop heavy industries that create large numbers of skilled jobs\u2014shipbuilding, offshore engineering, steel fabrication, petroleum refining, marine engineering, machinery manufacturing, and renewable energy industries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our strategic location, deep-water harbours such as Trincomalee, and our engineering talent give Sri Lanka a unique opportunity to become a regional industrial hub.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vocational training for welders, fabricators, machinists, electricians, pipe fitters, and offshore technicians must receive the same national recognition as university education in IT and AI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A nation that builds industries builds prosperity. A nation that provides productive employment strengthens social stability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sri Lanka\u2019s future should be based on a balanced economy where Artificial Intelligence and heavy industry grow together, creating opportunities for all and ensuring lasting economic resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heavy Industry Creates Sustainable Employment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countries that have achieved rapid industrial development have generally built strong foundations in manufacturing, engineering, shipbuilding, energy, transport infrastructure, and heavy engineering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heavy industries create employment not only for engineers but also for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Welders<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Fabricators<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Machinists<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Electricians<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Pipe fitters<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Mechanical technicians<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Instrumentation specialists<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Crane operators<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Surveyors<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Quality assurance inspectors<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Safety professionals<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Logistics personnel<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every major industrial project generates thousands of direct and indirect jobs across the supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sri Lanka\u2019s Untapped Potential<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sri Lanka possesses many natural advantages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf One of the world\u2019s busiest maritime routes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Deep-water natural harbours such as Trincomalee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf A strategic location between the Middle East, Africa and East Asia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf A technically capable workforce that has demonstrated its skills in shipbuilding and marine engineering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These strengths should be transformed into national industries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The country should actively promote:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Offshore engineering<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Ship repair and shipbuilding<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf FPSO conversion projects<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Oil and gas support services<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Marine fabrication<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Steel fabrication<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Renewable energy equipment manufacturing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Industrial machinery assembly<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Petroleum refining<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Petrochemical industries<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf Marine equipment manufacturing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These industries generate foreign exchange while creating long-term, high-value employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vocational Education Must Receive Equal Recognition<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not every talented young Sri Lankan needs to become a software engineer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many successful industrialised nations highly value skilled trades. Certified welders, precision machinists, industrial electricians and offshore technicians often earn incomes comparable to many university graduates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sri Lanka must therefore strengthen vocational education through internationally recognised certification and close collaboration with industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regards

Dr Sarath Obeysekera<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dr. Sarath Obeysekera From the events around Tiananmen Square in China to periods of political unrest and mass protests witnessed over the years in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Thailand, history reminds us that governments must pay close attention to the aspirations of their people. Although each country\u2019s circumstances are different, one common lesson is that economic […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[116],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-157521","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dr-sarath-obeysekera"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157521","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=157521"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157521\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":157522,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157521\/revisions\/157522"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=157521"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=157521"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=157521"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}