The Center for Human Rights and Research (CHR) Sri Lanka, in a statement issued recently has alleged that the National People’s Power (NPP) government excessively printed money in violation of the agreement reached with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Executive Director, CHR, Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon said that printing of money, declining foreign reserves, and rising domestic debt could pose a significant challenge to achieving the year’s economic development targets, it said in a statement.
Tennakoon said: “From October 2024 to June 2025, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka printed Rs. 1,225.9 billion (or Rs. 1.2 trillion). The printing of money in violation of agreements with the International Monetary Fund could be the beginning of the country heading towards an economic crisis once again, according to the statement.
Contrary to the guidelines of the International Monetary Fund, the Central Bank printed Rs. 210.3 billion (10.4% expansion) in June 2025 alone. Rs. 233.90 billion was printed in March 2025, the highest amount printed in the first six months. During the Gotabaya regime, the economy was devastated by excessive money printing (e.g., the April-May 2022 expansion of 17 -20%). It is the joint responsibility of Parliament and the Central Bank to take appropriate steps to prevent the country from experiencing another financial crisis, it said.
The country’s debt has been increasing rapidly since the Presidential Election last September. Following the formation of the new government, Sri Lanka’s domestic debt, which stood at Rs. 17,595.05 billion as of April 2025, has increased to Rs. 18,629.86 billion, representing an additional Rs. 1,034.81 billion.
Under the new government, the country’s total domestic and foreign debt has increased from Rs. 28,574.65 billion to Rs. 29,480.39 billion, representing an increase of Rs. 905.74 billion. Although the amount of foreign debt has declined, this is mainly due to continued domestic borrowing through the issuance of treasury bonds and bills.
The Rs. 65 billion bond issue presented by the Central Bank on August 12 was not entirely sold. There was not a single bid for the 2032 bond (8% interest). This is a clear red light for the domestic borrowing policy.
The foreign reserves, which were $6.531 billion in June, fell to $6,080 million by the end of June. The foreign reserves in July were $ 6.114 billion. The ‘reserves’ are also announced, including derivative contracts through swaps.
However, when the swap exchange value is removed, the country’s net reserves, which were $2,799 million in March, have decreased to $2,210 million as of June, as follows.
Of the total reserves in December 2024, $6,122 million, Swap was $3,548 million, and net reserves were $2,574 million.
As of June 2025, the total reserves stood at $6,080 million, comprising $3,870 million in Chinese and other swaps and $ 2,210 million in net reserves. Accordingly, the decrease in net foreign reserves from December 2024 to June 2025 is $ 364M.
When the early signs of the economic collapse of 2021 – 2022 emerged, people with quantitative knowledge warned about money printing, unlimited borrowing, and a decline in foreign reserves. Despite those warnings, hiding facts and criticizing critics, the 2022 ‘financial collapse’ developed into a massive economic crisis. It is the responsibility of the Central Bank, the Treasury, the Ministry of Finance, and the Parliament to identify the leading signs of a similar financial collapse sooner and take measures.
The printing of money by Rs. 1,225.9 billion, a decline in foreign reserves by $ 364 million, and an increase in the country’s debt by Rs. 905.74 billion will inevitably lead to a decrease in the country’s economic growth rate. It is a situation that will have long-term adverse effects.