The business language is English.
Business cards are a necessity.
Courtesy is highly valued in Sri Lanka, and personal graciousness plays a major role in clinching deals. While punctuality is not as highly prized as in the United States, most appointments and other commitments are scrupulously observed. The military launched a major offensive in the north in May 1997. Fighting has been intense. The LTTE responded with stepped up military and terrorist activity in the east.