India and Sri Lanka have long histories of scandals and stalled prosecutions. Sri Lanka’s 2025 score on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index was 35 out of 100, ranking 107th of 182 countries. A warning for Sri LankaThis global picture matters for Sri Lanka, where the current NPP government was elected on a promise of zero corruption. The Anti-Corruption Act of 2023 expanded CIABOC’s powers, extended asset declarations, covered private-sector corruption and allowed civil society input. Laws drafted behind closed doors and presented as finished products create suspicion that they target political opponents rather than corruption itself.