Strategic Significance of Sri Lanka in India's Indian Ocean Approach (original) (raw)
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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.
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.
Sea Power of Island Nations in 21 st Century: Challengers and Opportunities in Sri Lanka
The 21 st-century entire gamut of the nature of security is changing rapidly. Indian Ocean (IO) receives attention from state and non-state actors. Extra-regional countries such as the U.S., China and Japan are keen to have some presence in the IO. On the other hand, regional powers India and Australia ardent and interested in maintaining her regional stability. They are interested in projecting sea power beyond their locale to garner economic and political sustainability in the world arena, and where the IO is a major arena of competition. These great powers have a keen interest over Indian Ocean island states, and their sphere of influence is inevitable.
Sri Lanka as a balancing force in strengthening maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean
The greater Indian Ocean, given its increasing importance for the global maritime trade, needs a solid diplomatic basis for multilateral cooperation. Such cooperation is especially important for the states in its periphery as well as rising powers like China and its immediate neighbours. However, a multiparty dialogue to improve relations and address the need for increasing maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean is still largely lacking.
THE GEO-POLITICS OF NORTH INDIAN OCEAN: INDIA'S POSSIBLE RETALIATIONS TO CHINESE AGGRESSION
ACADEMICIA: An International Multidisciplinary Research Journal , 2021
Over the last two decades, China and India have shown significant economic and political growth in the Indo-Pacific region. Despite the source of Covid-19, China has successfully recovered and boosting its production. Where India, USA and European countries are experiencing negative growth, China still have 3.6% growth rate. It is the best time for China to show it's hegemony in the Indo-Pacific region. It is reviving its export through the North Indian Ocean Maritime Route. During this Covid-19 pandemic, the boundary dispute between India and China has become worst after 1962. To establish itself as global superpower, China is creating geopolitical pressure on India. India can retaliate this Chinese aggression, obstructing North Indian Ocean Maritime Route. China's geostrategic interest in this region is mainly to protect its ship-liners. Sri Lanka's enticing geostrategic position is favourable for maritime surveillance and security. All most every Chinese ship has to pass the southern coastline of Sri Lanka during the course between Strait of Hormuz and Malacca. Thus, China has invested a lot to establish its strategic posts in Sri Lanka which directly strike Indian dominance in North Indian Ocean. This paper suggests a few counter mechanisms which India could adopt in responses to this Chinese aggression in the North Indian Ocean and Sri Lanka.
LKI Policy Briefs - 2023/7, 2023
The paper discusses the foreign policy challenges confronted by Sri Lanka arising from the major power rivalry in the Indian Ocean Region - focussing on India, China, and the United States of America. Reviewing the associated dynamics and identifying the flashpoints, it argues that the reality facing Sri Lanka, is that in more recent times, even on occasions that Sri Lanka has adopted a strictly non-aligned/neutral approach in its foreign policy, the concerned countries and its alliances have brought pressure on Sri Lanka to operate in a ‘zero-sum’ environment. Drawing on a presentation made at the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS) Regional Conference on ‘Ocean Security: South Asia and the Indian Ocean’ on 16 October 2023, the paper suggests modalities that could help Sri Lanka overcome this predicament of becoming a theatre for confrontation between the major powers.