Sri Lanka–Turkey relations

Sri Lanka–Turkey relations are the foreign relations between Sri Lanka and Turkey. Turkey has an embassy in Colombo since 2013. Sri Lanka has an embassy in Ankara since 2012.

History
The relations between Sri Lanka and Turkey existed before the founding of both modern-day nations. Turkey's first formal relations with Sri Lanka began with the Ottoman Empire's assignment to the honoury consul of Sri Lanka in Galle in 1864 and until 1915, Ottoman honoury consuls served in Sri Lanka.

Diplomatic Relations
Turkey has historically been supportive of Sri Lanka's commitment to nonalignment. Relations have generally been very friendly — especially with the United National Party governments, such as the J. R. Jayewardene government that gave Sri Lanka's foreign policy a decidedly Western orientation. Prior to that, relations were tense with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party government under Sirimavo Bandaranaike, who deeply mistrusted the West and cultivated relations with China instead.

Then Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited Sri Lanka after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.

Economic Relations

 * Trade volume between the two countries was US$185.7 million in 2019 (Turkish exports/imports: 84.3/101.4 million USD).