Straddling the Major Power Rivalry in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR): Sri Lanka's Quest to Navigate in an Increasingly 'Zero-Sum' Environment (original) (raw)
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The Morning Newspaper, 2023
Abstract: Sri Lanka, nestled at the Indian Ocean's crossroads, navigates a complex geopolitical landscape. This article explores the island nation's quest for strategic equilibrium amidst rising Chinese influence and the lingering legacy of colonialism. Key points: China's Belt and Road Initiative: Sri Lanka's extensive infrastructure projects, funded by China, spark concerns about sovereignty and strategic implications. Competing Civilizations: The article argues that China's distinct system challenges the dominant "world capitalist civilization," raising questions about global order. Sri Lanka's Strategic Potential: The island's location, natural harbors, and regional connections position it as a potential hub for global development and Indian Ocean security. Balancing Interests: Sri Lanka seeks to engage with both the established global order and the emerging Chinese system while safeguarding its own sovereignty. Proposal for an Indian Ocean Treaty Organisation (IOTO): The article suggests a collaborative maritime security framework to ensure regional stability and resource flow. Overall, this article provides a nuanced perspective on Sri Lanka's strategic challenges and opportunities in a world increasingly defined by competing systems and power dynamics.
JDPA KDU , 2021
Power struggles are a common occurrence in world politics and their impact depends on the nature of the parties to the struggle. As the 21 st century being dubbed the century of Asia, the growing competition between China and India as two aspiring Asian nations to become global superpowers has shifted the gravity of world politics to the Indian Ocean region. The United States of America, as an existing superpower, seeks to maintain its position to retain its status despite the evolving world order. Accordingly, the direct and indirect actions of these three countries make the Indian Ocean region a contested domain for dominance. Sri Lanka, as a small country in the region, located centrally in the Indian Ocean, is strategically facing challenges due to the rivalry of the US, India, and China. With inherent dependency over these three countries, Sri Lanka's policy towards the Indian Ocean is important for its security and development. Although Sri Lanka has fundamental principles towards the Indian Ocean, current power relations relating to the Indian Ocean has created much uncertainty towards the peaceful existence of the IO. Therefore, Sri Lanka was compelled to re-strategize its policy in the Indian Ocean while broadening the scope of security. This paper provides a detailed study of the nature of current power rivalry in the Indian Ocean with specific policy expectations of major triangle of power of the Indian Ocean. Accordingly, it analyses the factors that influence Sri Lanka to formulate its policy towards the Indian Ocean region. It concludes that instead of acting on a stand-alone policy, Sri Lanka should strongly follow a policy of multilateralism to minimize the tension in the region and achieve its national interest through cooperation without taking a side of any power block which are trying to compete in the Indian Ocean to assure its hegemony.
Sri Lanka Journal of Social Sciences, 2018
As China's influence in the Indian Ocean Region grows in preponderance, Indian anxieties have concomitantly intensified. Faced with finite choices as an island in the Indian Ocean, it is intrinsically in Sri Lanka's interest to balance both powers. This study examines the escalating strategic competition between India and China in Sri Lanka and unpacks the contours of their activities and their linkages with the island. It assesses the dexterity of the Sirisena administration to actualize a balanced foreign policy in contrast to its predecessor and outlines a policy formulation which would support the government in its endeavor. The article also contributes to the foreign policy strategising literature by configuring four conceivable external dynamics Sri Lanka may face in future.
Sri Lanka’s Naval Role Beyond Gunboat Diplomacy: National and Regional Security
Emerging Scholars Symposium Proceedings , 2019
The foreign policies of the USA and of China appear to be based on aspirations to create a unipolar world, driven by the need to access real but unevenly distributed global resources across fictitious national boundaries defended by force, giving rise to tensions. Sri Lanka straddles important maritime routes, has the world’s largest natural harbor and is a unique platform that can function as an entrepôt for capital and expertise flowing into regions of the IORA, SAARC, BIMSTEC and Antarctica. Furthermore, it can serve as a hub for the transhipment of commodities, goods and services flowing out of these regions and into the global markets. The functioning of the island as an entrepôt requires the skilful balancing of global geo-strategic equations, as well as the configuration of regional ones due to local and international politics. Within this context, naval forces play three main roles, namely: military, policing and diplomatic, and the diplomatic role of the navy can have two arms. The military arm is also called ‘Gunboat Diplomacy’, and the strategic arm is based on confidence building and conflict resolution. This study focuses on the soft power diplomacy of the Sri Lanka Navy for the management of complex strategic relations which require power, political will and diplomatic skill. It shows that the current historical moment offers the Sri Lankan Navy a unique opportunity to play a significant role in the task of balancing regional geo-strategic equations in ways that enable the guaranteeing of the free movement of shipping to and from the island. It also adds to the literature on Sri Lanka Naval diplomacy, aimed at the maintenance of peace and stability in the Indian Ocean Region. The paper concludes that the setting up of an Indian Ocean Treaty Organization, governing the conduct of maritime forces within the Indian Ocean, is a vital mechanism for the balancing of regional geo-strategic equations; and that Sri Lanka’s naval soft diplomacy has a vital role to play in hosting and housing this mechanism on the island entrepôt. Keywords: Sri Lanka Navy, Soft Diplomacy, Indian Ocean Region, Entrepôt, Indian Ocean Treaty Organization
Geopolitics of the Indian Ocean and Indo-Sri Lanka Relationship
NMML OCCASIONAL PAPER, 2017
The Indian Ocean will be where the big game will be played in the future. The existing global leader, the United States of America, rising China, and emerging India will be the key global players in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). To counter balance a rising power and its dominance of Indian Ocean we have seen how regional nations will tie with extra regional nations. It is significant that the Indian Ocean is the only ocean named after a State, hence the question posed by some if the Indian Ocean indeed belongs to India. Evidently, India has an important role to play in the Indian Ocean and needs to be aware of what is going on in its backyard. The Chinese submarine incident in Sri Lanka was a clear indication of this situation especially with regard to India’s reaction. The main concern was whether the visit of Chinese submarines was a surprise or a carefully calibrated decision? In this backdrop, in order to clearly understand the changing geopolitical dynamics of Indian Ocean I will discuss two key areas which are: China’s strategic presence in the Indian Ocean and, India’s strategic aspiration in the Indian Ocean. Finally I will discuss certain important issues in the Indo-Sri Lanka relationship.
Proceedings of 8th International Research Conference, 2015
Both China and India have shown an increasing interest towards the Indian Ocean and have towards this end, engineered several key strategies and initiatives, i.e. the Maritime Silk Route initiative by the former and the Indian Ocean Strategy by the latter. Both these nations have also identified Sri Lanka, with its strategic location in the Indian Ocean as an ideal focal point to implement their policies and objectives. China’s plans are underway to re-establish the ancient Maritime Silk Route thereby reaping economic benefits by enhancing regional connectivity and securing its energy requirements. Whilst India is increasing her maritime and security ambitions via its strategic initiatives with smaller island nations in the greater Indian Ocean region. The latter is more inclined towards maritime security cooperation with lesser emphasis on economic partnerships which the former is more predisposed towards. In this context, this study will focus on the political situation in the world with special emphasis on the Indian Ocean Region. It will also address the strategic importance Sri Lanka plays in the region and the diplomatic role it has to master in collaborating with these two regional giants. The region has emerged as a catalyst in strategic planning for most of the world’s dominant powers. Accordingly, Sri Lanka has been identified as a means for regional dominance. Further this will also address Sri Lanka’s need to take a more assertive role in promoting and projecting herself in the international arena.
Strategic Significance of Sri Lanka in India's Indian Ocean Approach
Indian Studies Review, 2022
The Indian Ocean has long been a significant topic of historic-strategic debate in the annals of world history. The region, which is home to a variety of activities ranging from trade to transportation, and a tangled web of power struggles, is also gaining prominence as a major energy corridor for Asia's energy-hungry nations. For India, a close relationship with Sri Lanka is important for several reasons: first, the latter's proximity to the strategically important Andaman & Nicobar Islands, as well as the SLOCs that fall under India's EEZ; second, safeguarding Indian initiatives in the Western Indian Ocean; and, third, Beijing's antagonistic and hegemonic advancement in the region. On the other side, for Sri Lanka, which is mired in debt, cooperating with old friend India can help alleviate the load while also contributing to the country's development. Sri Lanka has lately realized that in Beijing's Indian Ocean strategic chessboard, it has been more of a 'pawn' than a 'pearl'. For Sri Lanka, India is an ideal partner due to its geographical proximity, historical linkages, and strategic location.
Power Play in the Indian Ocean: A Threat to Regional Stability
The evolving international order and changing security dynamics have pushed both regional and extra-regional powers into more of a complex security framework. The security dilemma of the existing international world order can be stated in terms of anarchy. It is the existence of anarchy due to which states pursue self-interest which ultimately sets the stage for power play. The same scenario seems to have arisen in the IOR. The rising economic and geopolitical significance of the Indian Ocean by featuring the strategic moves of India, China, and the US; as well as the impact of these moves on the security of the overall region demand attention. This needs to be analysed with regards to the impact of three contentions i.e. the India-Pakistan security dyad, the competitive economic rivalry between China and India, and the third contention in terms of China and the US. Furthermore, the end result of power play in the Indian Ocean can be studied under two dimensions i.e. break up of conflict or strategic competition between the regional players and in the context of the states whose interests are at stake by the shift of power balance in the region.