Sri Lanka’s economy “Never Recovered” after 2019 crisis – Economist Steve Hanke

May 4, 2026 at 1:42 PM

Sri Lanka’s economy has not recovered since the 2019 currency crisis and subsequent International Monetary Fund (IMF) intervention, according to Steve H. Hanke, economics professor at Johns Hopkins University.

In a post on ‘X’, Hanke noted that until the crisis struck, Sri Lanka’s growth trajectory was on par with India.

“Contrary to reports in the Western media, since the crisis and the IMF’s intervention, the economy has never recovered,” he said, addressing the country’s prolonged struggles. (Newswire)