Sri Lanka’s Maritime Security Dr. Sithara Fernando Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) Session 1 Sri Lanka’s Foreign Policy Forum LKI 28-29 June 2017

Introductory Remarks This presentation will examine Sri Lanka’s Maritime Security. Being an island country Maritime Security is very important to Sri Lanka. Maritime Security must be understood in a comprehensive manner.

The presentation will examine Sri Lanka’s Maritime Security under the following: Traditional Maritime Security Non-Traditional Maritime Security

Traditional Maritime Security and Sri Lanka Sri Lanka occupies a geopolitically significant location in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Sri Lanka is located towards the centre of the Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka is located just north of the major East-West sea lane in the Indian Ocean.

Due to Sri Lanka’s geopolitically significant location in the IOR it is of great importance to the Major Maritime Powers. The United States (US) considers itself to be guarantor of freedom of navigation globally. Sri Lanka’s strategic location in relation to the major East-West sea lane in the Indian Ocean would be of interest to the US.

Sri Lanka’s location in the Indian Ocean is also of strategic importance for China. China’s imported oil is shipped through the major East-West sea lane just south of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka provides a convenient mid-way point along the sea lanes linking China to Africa.

Sri Lanka’s location is also of strategic importance for India. For India Sri Lanka is important for the defence of its southwestern and southeastern coastlines. This is why India worries about the military links between Sri Lanka and other Major Powers.

Sri Lanka’s geopolitically significant location in the Indian Ocean poses Sri Lanka with both a challenge and an opportunity. CHALLENGE: Sri Lanka’s strategic location can make it vulnerable to the manipulations of the Major Powers. OPPORTUNITY: Sri Lanka’s strategic location can also be leveraged to enhance Sri Lanka’s influence in the IOR.

Traditional Maritime Security

Non-Traditional Maritime Security Important Non-Traditional Maritime Security issues facing Sri Lanka are the following: IUU Fishing from India Maritime Smuggling and Trafficking

IUU Fishing from India India’s 2015 Maritime Security Strategy considers the India-Sri Lanka fisheries problem under IUU Fishing. For Sri Lanka IUU Fishing from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu poses a tremendous challenge.

Approximately 1000 Indian trawlers engage in IUU Fishing in Sri Lanka Waters at a time catching up to 200,000 Kg of fish in a day. This mass scale IUU Fishing in Sri Lanka Waters by Indian vessels amounts to a massive loss for the fisheries industry of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka and India have established a Joint Working Group (JWG) on IUU Fishing. The India-Sri Lanka JWG on IUU Fishing performs the following tasks: Evaluation of the situation with regard to IUU Fishing Making relevant recommendations to India and Sri Lanka

Maritime Smuggling and Trafficking In the 1980s the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) smuggled the following items between India and Sri Lanka: Explosives Small arms Ammunition The LTTE smuggled these arms between India and Sri Lanka using the sea route.

To consolidate Peace it is critical that Sri Lanka remains vigilant about a resumption of arms smuggling between India and Sri Lanka. Today drug trafficking is high between India and Sri Lanka. In the last decade Sri Lanka Navy has apprehended 38 drug trafficking attempts.

Human smuggling over the sea is common between India and Sri Lanka. The smuggled illegal migrants could be terrorists and criminals. Human smugglers could be using Sri Lanka as a transit country to smuggle illegal migrants into Australia.

Non-Traditional Maritime Security

Concluding Remarks The key Traditional Maritime Security issue Sri Lanka is faced with is the US-China-India competition in the IOR. The best way for Sri Lanka to deal with this issue is to maintain good relations with all three major maritime powers. Sri Lanka should not become dependent on any one of the Major Maritime Powers.

At the same time Sri Lanka should not antagonize any one of the Major Maritime Powers either. Sri Lanka’s foreign policy must avoid becoming dependent on any of these Major Maritime Powers without antagonizing them. Non-Traditional Maritime Security issues facing Sri Lanka are IUU Fishing and Maritime Smuggling and Trafficking.

To counter IUU Fishing Sri Lanka must cooperate with India. To counter Maritime Smuggling and Trafficking Sri Lanka must cooperate with India and Australia. Sri Lanka’s foreign policy must be geared to deal with both Traditional and Non-Traditional Maritime Security issues.