COLOMBO, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka imported vehicles worth 613 million U.S. dollars during the first quarter of 2026.

According to official data from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, in March alone, vehicle imports, including both personal and commercial vehicles, amounted to 195 million U.S. dollars.

The figures indicate the continued return of vehicle imports after the government lifted the temporary suspension in a set of new regulations, which came into effect on February 1, 2025.

The suspension on vehicle imports had been introduced in early 2020 as Sri Lanka moved to control foreign exchange outflows amid external sector pressures. The restrictions remained in place during the country's economic crisis, when conserving foreign currency reserves became a key policy priority. ■