Sri Lanka, an island nation which sits at the mid-way point of the Indian Ocean, has been a player in the region's maritime affairs for millennia. It is tragic that post-independence, Sri Lanka failed to properly educate its citizenry or create in adequate numbers maritime-minded leaders, which would enable Sri Lanka to play a broader role at sea, and in particular in our region; the Indian Ocean. This, despite Sri Lanka having a long standing track record of punching above its weight in diplomacy. There seems to be a distinct lack of affinity from many in Sri Lanka towards the ocean which surrounds our island nation. If Sri Lanka is to rise up from the crisis it is today, governance and economic reforms alone will not help, Sri Lankans must take stock of our surroundings, begin to take command of our massive marine and air domains, and strengthen our regional and global linkages, on which our existence depends on.

Yesterday, news of a rare opportunity for Sri Lanka came along, the Sri Lanka Navy will take over command of the Combined Task Force (CTF) 154 at the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), the world’s largest maritime coalition, based in Bahrain in January 2025.  Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) will take over command of the CTF 154 based in Bahrain in January 2025, with the SLN planning to dispatch a team of officers to CTF 154 headquarters by the end of the year, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera told The Daily Morning yesterday (2). The command (CTF154), the first such as a regional security collective for the Sri Lanka Navy is a milestone in its 74 years of history.

Change within the establishment occurs slowly in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka navy began its quest to join the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) post 2015, and has long advocated partnering with the CMF to improve intelligence sharing on maritime trafficking – particularly that of narcotics and arms which come via the ‘Southern route’ from the Makran Coast to Sri Lanka and beyond on flagless ‘Dhows’. Last year, the SLN had managed to convince the Government to allow it to become the 41st partner of the CMF. Since then CMF has grown in number to reach 46 nations. Yesterday, the Sri Lanka Navy official announced that they will be taking over the leadership of one of the five task forces of the CMF – CTF 154 in January 2025 from its current command held by the Royal Jordanian Naval Forces. “This opportunity is a tremendous recognition given to the Sri Lanka Navy for its display of professionalism and its long-standing commitment to ensuring maritime security in the region,” Navy Commander Adm. Perera told The Daily Morning.

The Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) is a multinational maritime partnership which Sri Lanka is a partner of, that upholds the International Rules Based Order by countering illicit non-state actors on the high seas and promoting security, stability and prosperity across approximately 3.2 million square miles of international waters, which encompass some of the world’s most important shipping lanes. CMF’s main focus areas are counter-narcotics, counter-smuggling, suppressing piracy, encouraging regional cooperation, and engaging with regional and other partners to strengthen relevant capabilities and improve overall security and stability, and promote a safe maritime environment free from illicit non-state actors. When requested, CMF assets at sea will also respond to environmental and humanitarian crises.

Over the last seven decades the Sri Lanka Navy has been the ‘silent service’, persisting in her constabulary and diplomatic role during peacetime, and evolving into the world's most experienced forces in littoral warfare, through blood, sweat and tears during the thirty year-long counter-insurgency conflict. While for many Sri Lankans the conflict was a matter largely fought on land, the conflict evolved into an all-domain conflict by the latter stages. Since the end of the conflict the SLN has returned to its peacetime duties, and used its experience to become a training hub for maritime law enforcement and irregular warfare in littorals and the sea. The SLN has punched above its weight in its counter trafficking role, aided by law enforcement, intelligence, the sister services of the Air Force, Coast Guard and Army.  It has essentially forced drug runners to change routes and change their tactics techniques procedures (TTPs), and today petrol a wide spread of the Indian Ocean, aiding regional security, order and safety.

With the command of the CTF 154 the Sri Lanka Navy has today shown that opportunities come to those who build strategies, evolve and persist in carrying out their role and task. Let us hope that more Sri Lankan agencies and officials are inspired by such efforts and work towards improving Sri Lanka’s recognition in the region and beyond. Well done Navy. Bravo Zulu.