Why is Sri Lanka becoming a Big Power

Worldly attention receives from super powers makes Sri Lanka a big power in regional politics and beyond. Unlike in good old days, in modern information age has rendered traditional invaders are a dying bread – except may be regarding Taiwan, few pockets in Eastern Europe and in Africa. So, at the beginning of second quarter, into the twentieth century, we have no doubt that our fifty three times bigger neighbor will not set a foot in that direction regarding her southernmost neighbor due to this out of proportion attention her receives from super powers. With this sort of worldly attention, Sri Lanka needs to think worldly and big and act modestly, asserts Dr. Jayanath Colombage, a former Navy Commander and current Secretary to Foreign Ministry.


It has all being really a curst that Sri Lanka is a small island with small island mentality for all its known history. Legends of King Ravana and real events of King Parakramabahu, whom one went flying and other went sailing to neighboring nations to either plunder a beautiful queen or teach a lesson to king of Myanmar are no parallels with present times. Present is uniquely different from past when global consciousness can reach each corners of the planet instantaneously with its post-modern technologies and one nation’s political issue has become every nations’ political issue. If Machiavellian and longsighted state craftsmanship of small nations like Switzerland can achieve its neutrality even before WW II and no pluralistic neighbors challenge her sovereign rights today, we Sri Lankans are also set for a bright future ahead.


Policy makers needs a realistic understanding of geopolitical significance of Sri Lanka; without super powers and economically and politically sound regional allies Sri Lanka is not a big power. Only when former and later are realised, Sri Lanka can maintain its big power status even if India becomes fully energy sufficient one day. African continent is also set to be busy and politically and economically sound at some stage, hopefully soon. Even without successful African neighbors, Sri Lanka can maintain big power status with status quo.


Pivot to Asia was an US’ principle strategic shift in its international relations. With many conjuring terms and articulations such as New Great Game and New Cold War, all prefers to strategic shifts in American foreign policy towards containing China with the help of Quad. It was since Obama’s administration that Sri Lanka was framed in as a strategically important partner in its pivot to Asia. Of cause India is dwarfing Sri Lanka fifty three times but geopolitical location of Sri Lanka is as such that no super power can avoid noticing our existence.

Sri Lanka has rightly aligned herself with none-aligned block of states since WW II. And it is significant that we frame our foreign policy in neutral terms. We are no way to pay geo political game with these super power rivalries nor do we desire antagonising partnership with any of super powers against anyone. However, our resourceful air, sea and land need to be harvested with foreign investments in a manner that over sovereignty is preserved and their maximum potentials are gained using this Big Power status.

A half of world trade, or more, is shipped between from East and West, and vice versa, using our Exclusive Economic Zone. Servicing these ships and using our land as an assembly point, which is very conveniently located in the right in the middle of east and west, needed to be explored with rigor. Our ex-navy personals possess proven expertise in navigation and our knowledge in Indian Ocean is second to none. With right marketing strategies Sri Lanka needs to tap into regional threats and opportunities in maritime sphere as soon as possible. All the legal barriers needed to be removed to facilitate such economical ventures to bring swath of foreign remittance to this island.


As this Government is adamant that none of foreign investments in strategically important assets, such as Humbantota Harbour, should exceed threshold of forty nine percent, we need to seek out investors for Trincomalle, Mannar and Jaffna Peninsula also.

Timing is the essence of asserting this Big Power statues. History never repeat. We need to grab this opportunity for our generation and future generations to come.



Author - A.V. Anuradha Samapth
MA in International Security and Law Denmark & BA Hon in International Politics UK
LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/amarasinghevidanage

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