Crisis-hit Sri Lanka needs to revisit its foreign policy, and revamp it to help navigate the evolving geopolitical landscape while ensuring the country moves towards recovery and growth, and to a period where we can build resilience. To do so, there is a need for a robust discourse about Sri Lanka national and foreign policies.

One of the challenges Sri Lanka faces in formulating a robust foreign policy is the lack of discourse about it. Awareness of foreign policy and diplomacy amongst the masses has been lacking. Another challenge is the lack of a strategic thinking culture in Colombo. While many lawmakers and officials pontificates about Sri Lanka’s strategic location, and historic linkages to the region, few engage in strategic thinking. Sri Lanka has long suffered from the failures of past governments to assess the strategic environment Sri Lanka found itself in, post-war, which has left the island unable l articulate its national interest and security concerns effectively in the international arena. This is why Sri Lankan policymakers and bureaucrats need to better understand strategic thinking to aid the formulation of more effective and coherent policies, which Sri Lanka will need to effect a quick recovery and navigate the growing contentions of the Indian Ocean region. 

While the island nation has had many failures in governance, its long failure of putting national interests first and engaging other countries based on the principles of neutrality and regional connectivity has impacted the island nation significantly. It goes without saying that with Sri Lanka where it is, geographically, politically, and economically, the island will need to continue its ‘special relationship’ with India and be sensitive to its concerns.

However, strategy comes with statesmanship, which is something Sri Lanka has found lacking. We need politicians who are statesmen and think in a strategic arch. Sri Lanka’s long-standing corrosive political culture has not helped to develop statesmen and strategic thinkers. The focus of the polity, sadly, has been how to remain in power and about winning the next election. Statesmanship is about steering a country towards a better future. Unfortunately, these are not nuances Sri Lanka have had, nor given priority to in the past. Strategic thinking is always reflecting on the past and aspiring for a better future, based on the resources you have at present. This is why grandiose thinking is also not wise in a strategic sense; you can’t be promising people miracles. Strategic thinking is about planning and preparing to reach certain objectives with limited resources.

Sri Lanka has not been not been able to effectively articulate what our desired strategic objectives are. We should focus on gaining economic stability, we can use our strategic location advantage to gain international recognition, expand our markets, and restore hope of prosperity for our people. However, such objectives are not promoted amongst the masses. With the election of a leftist leader, there has been much speculation Sri Lanka’s foreign policy will tilt towards China, again. Sri Lanka has a new President who represents the radical Left. His Marxist-oriented Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has transformed its front office by incorporating Left leaning and Centre-left liberals to create a new popular front, the now victorious; National People's Power (NPP). The NPP has succeeded in ousting traditional political elites who have held Sri Lanka’s reigns since independence in 1948. While it is early in Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s term of office, and premature to make any predictions about foreign policy, his election manifesto identified Sri Lanka’s pivotal role as an ‘International consensus builder’ and highlights a commitment to non-alignment. It may be that, Dissnayake’s Government, at least in its early years, may signal a pragmatic non-alignment aimed at discouraging great power competition or aggression in Sri Lanka or around the region. Nevertheless, while in governance, Dissnayake and his team will to build confidence by establishing an understanding with others in the region.  Sri Lanka needs to reassure its neighbours’ of its goals and policy continuity. Without such understanding, stability, inclusion in regional growth and economic progression will likely be slow and arduous.