Primary budget balance (% of GDP)
The budget balance before paying interest on past debt.
Source: International Monetary Fund · As of 2026 · Provisional · View source
Chart of Primary budget balance (% of GDP) over time. -3.2 % of GDP (2000) → 2.3 % of GDP (2026).
Table
| Period | % of GDP |
|---|---|
| 2000 | -3.2 |
| 2001 | -3.0 |
| 2002 | -0.9 |
| 2003 | -0.3 |
| 2004 | -1.5 |
| 2005 | -1.8 |
| 2006 | -1.6 |
| 2007 | -1.5 |
| 2008 | -1.9 |
| 2009 | -2.9 |
| 2010 | -1.4 |
| 2011 | -1.2 |
| 2012 | -0.9 |
| 2013 | -0.5 |
| 2014 | -1.9 |
| 2015 | -2.1 |
| 2016 | -0.2 |
| 2017 | 0.0 |
| 2018 | 0.6 |
| 2019 | -1.9 |
| 2020 | -7.1 |
| 2021 | -5.7 |
| 2022 | -3.7 |
| 2023 | 0.6 |
| 2024 | 2.2 |
| 2025 | 5.4 |
| 2026 | 2.3* |
Sri Lanka's current situation
The primary balance was 2.3 % of GDP in 2026, -3.1 % of GDP compared with a year earlier. Current status: Good. Healthy range: Here a surplus (above 0%) is Good, a deficit up to 2% Watch, larger deficits Concern. The IMF programme targets a primary surplus of about 2.3% of GDP.
What is it?
The primary balance is revenue minus spending excluding interest payments. It shows whether today's policies pay for themselves, separate from the cost of old debt.
A simple example
If revenue is Rs 16 and non-interest spending Rs 14 (per Rs 100 of GDP), the primary balance is +2% of GDP — a primary surplus.
What happens when it is high
A primary surplus is how a highly indebted country brings its debt ratio down; it is a core target of Sri Lanka's IMF programme.
What happens when it is low
A primary deficit means the government borrows even to cover current services, before any interest — a sign that debt will keep rising.
What is a healthy range
Here a surplus (above 0%) is Good, a deficit up to 2% Watch, larger deficits Concern. The IMF programme targets a primary surplus of about 2.3% of GDP.
IMF EFF programme targets a primary surplus (~2.3% of GDP).
What might happen next
Official projections
| Source | Year | % of GDP |
|---|---|---|
| International Monetary Fund | 2027 | 2.6 |
| International Monetary Fund | 2028 | 2.6 |
| International Monetary Fund | 2029 | 2.6 |
| International Monetary Fund | 2030 | 2.6 |
| International Monetary Fund | 2031 | 2.6 |
Simple statistical trend
No data yet
Improving: revenue measures and spending restraint. Worsening: tax relief or spending pressures ahead of elections. Not financial advice.
A simple statistical trend, not a prediction of what will happen. Forecasts are uncertain and are not financial advice.
For experts
It separates the cost of past borrowing from the stance of current policy.
How we calculate this
General government primary net lending/borrowing, % of GDP (IMF WEO, code GGXONLB_NGDP). Annual; the latest year is an IMF estimate.