The Indian Ocean Region is one with many opportunities and challenges. Small Island States like Sri Lanka which call the Indian Ocean home, have faced the challenges of upholding their sovereignty, and acting with agency time and again. Having long promoted inward-looking policies and being focused on land-centric development, Sri Lanka is slowly casting her gaze on the maritime domain around the island, which has been the nation’s line for millennia. However, due to a lack of ambition/political will, poor subject matter comprehension at the policy-making level and bureaucracy, Sri Lanka has long neglected effective governance of its maritime domain.
Growing geopolitical contention in the Indian Ocean, environmental change, growing asymmetric security threat and a thirst for as yet under-explored avenues of economic growth, have forced Sri Lanka to improve its engagement with the sea around it. In doing so, Sri Lanka faced a rude awakening in 2022, when it awoke from its slumber and realised that the Small Island Nation at the centre of the Indian Ocean had walked into a geopolitical joust between China, India and other countries including the United States. At the centre of the dispute were several visits by the Chinese Marine Scientific Survey (MSR) which conducted ‘joint surveys’ that took place in Sri Lankan waters and its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The outcome of this situation was dawning on Sri Lanka and it could no longer afford to not give some prominence to its maritime domain. The then Government decided to improve the sovereign capacity to conduct hydrography and oceanography. Discussions were held with several nations, with Sri Lanka seeking assistance to build capacity.
Japan was one of the first to formally answer, in May 2024 by announcing that it would offer Sri Lanka a vessel equipped for underwater surveys, which would aid in capacity-building to conduct hydrographic research and chart Sri Lanka’s maritime domain. The announcement was made by visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa during a meeting with her counterpart, former Foreign Minister Ali Sabry. During her speech, the visiting Japanese Foreign Minister stated: “Japan and Sri Lanka are both island nations surrounded by the sea. Japan intends to further strengthen cooperation with Sri Lanka in the maritime domain in order to realise a ‘free and open’ Indo-Pacific. In this regard, based on a request from Sri Lanka, I have conveyed to Minister Sabry that Japan will offer a vessel equipped with sonar to be used for compiling maritime charts.” Since then, many nations have come forward to assist with training, equipment, and support services to aid in the endeavour. Sri Lanka has also explored multilateral approaches by discussing MSR and marine scientific collaboration at the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).
Yesterday (18), the Australian Government donated a state-of-the-art Shallow Water Multi-Beam Echo Sounder (MBES) to the Sri Lanka Navy Hydrographic Service (SLNHS) during a ceremony held at SLNS Rangalla, at Colombo Port. The donation, which is the fruit of a discussion between the two Indian Ocean neighbours since 2023, gives a significant boost to Sri Lanka’s hydrographic capabilities, aiding Sri Lanka’s quest to build sovereign capacity for hydrography and ocean sciences. The Shallow Water Multi-Beam Echo Sounder is the first of its kind received by the Navy. Inshore Patrol Vessel, which was manufactured by the Sri Lanka Navy at the boatyard at the Welisara Naval Station. The formal ceremony was held under the auspices of the High Commissioner of Australia to Sri Lanka Paul Stephens, the Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda, and other Senior Naval officials and Australian diplomats based in Colombo.
Addressing the gathering, Vice Admiral Banagoda thanked the Australian Government for the donation pointing out that the new equipment would allow Sri Lanka to produce up-to-date and accurate navigational charts, which would contribute to safe navigation at sea and harbours. High Commissioner Stephens addressing the gathering called the donation an important contribution to improving Sri Lanka’s sovereign capacity for maritime domain awareness, and that it addressed a gap in capacity with the SLN. “The Australian Government is gratified to be able to assist Sri Lanka in enhancing its maritime domain awareness (MDA) and sovereign capacity in mapping its ocean floor,” Stephens said.
Even though Sri Lanka is a small State, the island can forge long-lasting partnerships with like-minded countries to further its interests thereby having agency for sovereignty under its own steam. However, to continue doing so Sri Lanka must muster political will and fine-tune its foreign policy.