The recent admission of Sri Lanka’s inaugural Blue Bond, a LKR 3 billion issuance by DFCC Bank, to the NSE International Exchange (NSE IX) at GIFT City marks a significant milestone. This event represents the first Blue Bond to be listed for trading within India’s International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) jurisdiction.

The dual listing was facilitated through a Memorandum of Understanding exchanged between NSE IX and the Colombo Stock Exchange at GIFT City. This agreement aims to strengthen cross-border capital market collaboration, enable dual listings, and promote innovative financial products across various jurisdictions.

Initially listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE), the bond’s admission to NSE IX is set to enhance its international visibility and investor accessibility. Additionally, it underscores GIFT City’s expanding role as a hub for sustainable finance instruments.

DFCC Bank launched the Blue Bonds in November 2025 with the intent to fund the sustainable use of marine resources, the supply of clean drinking water, aquatic pollution control, and related sustainable economic activities, while offering an attractive return to investors. Blue Bonds, a subset of green bonds, specifically allocate proceeds towards marine conservation, sustainable fisheries, ocean-based economic activities, and broader water-related environmental projects. The listing is anticipated to diversify the investor base by facilitating participation through GIFT City’s offshore regulatory framework.

Earlier, in June 2025, NSE IX hosted DFCC Bank PLC’s leadership at GIFT IFSC to commemorate the landmark listing of its LKR 2.5 billion foreign-currency Green Bonds. This was Sri Lanka’s first renewable energy-focused capital market debt instrument and the first foreign corporate issuance admitted to trading on the exchange.