The UCSC Alumni Association successfully hosted the Post-Budget Digital Economy Forum 2026 under the theme “A Resilient Digital Economy for Sri Lanka’s Future” on 27th November 2025 at the UCSC Auditorium. The forum brought together senior policymakers, industry leaders, legal experts, and technology professionals to discuss how Sri Lanka can move from digital ambition to measurable execution.
The panel featured Hon. Eng. Eranga Weeraratne, Deputy Minister of Digital Economy; Mr. Waruna Sri Dhanapala, Acting Secretary to the Ministry of Digital Economy; and Mr. Imal Kalutotage, Founder & Chairman of NCINGA and Founding Partner at nVentures. The discussion was moderated by Ms. Anudi Nanayakkara, Principal Legal and Digital Governance Advisor & Attorney-at-Law.
Despite challenging weather conditions, the event saw strong participation, reflecting the growing national commitment toward digital transformation through collaboration between government, industry, and academia.
During the forum, the Deputy Minister highlighted key progress made over the past year, including advancements in Sri Lanka’s Unique Digital Identity, the expansion of GovPay across government institutions, the strengthening of the Lanka Government Cloud, and the establishment of the Data Protection Authority. He emphasized that Sri Lanka is now moving toward a unified digital architecture, with GovTech positioned as the government’s primary digital delivery arm.
Addressing budget utilisation, Mr. Waruna Sri Dhanapala explained that the focus has been on building strong foundations—aligning projects, modernising procurement frameworks, and enabling agile, startup-friendly digital delivery models to ensure long-term impact.
From an industry perspective, Mr. Imal Kalutotage stressed that while Sri Lanka’s digital blueprint is globally competitive, success will depend on disciplined execution, faster delivery, and stronger support for startups, innovation, and investment readiness.
The discussion also placed strong emphasis on digital governance and trust, with insights into PDPA readiness, data and API interoperability, cybersecurity priorities, and the future of secure digital public infrastructure. The UCSC Alumni Association acknowledged XAPI for its role as Digital Governance Sponsor, enabling deeper dialogue on governance and compliance.
In closing, the forum reaffirmed the importance of execution, accountability, and collaboration. The UCSC Alumni Association continues to play a vital role in connecting policy, industry, and innovation—contributing meaningfully to Sri Lanka’s journey toward a resilient, inclusive, and future-ready digital economy.
