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Being an island nation, the ocean is never too far from Sri Lanka. Situated right at the center of the world's busiest sea lanes of communication, the geography connects the country with the Indian Ocean, and its destiny is linked to this strategic body of water. For centuries, the Indian Ocean has been part of Sri Lanka's strategic, security, and political narratives. However, over the years, the country's involvement in the affairs of the Indian Ocean has retracted due to domestic and regional circumstances. Its consciousness of its ocean identity declined when it took an inward orientation which gave greater visibility to its South Asian identity, and its own imagination began to pivot towards the Indian hinterland. However, with the rising importance of the Indian Ocean in geopolitics, and with the end of the civil war, Sri Lanka's consciousness of its ocean identity has grown. Successive governments have formulated policies that would have paved its way to become the hub of the Indian Ocean, making the ocean the center of its economic development, maritime security, and defense relations. Amidst this backdrop, this book explores historical and contemporary perspectives on Sri Lanka's relations with the Indian Ocean.

Sample Chapter(s)
Foreword
Introduction
Chapter 9 - Power Struggle in the Indian Ocean: Perspective from Sri Lanka

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Contents:
  • Foreword
  • About the Editor
  • About the Contributors
  • Acknowledgements
  • Disclaimer
  • Introduction
  • Historical and Contemporary Perspectives:
    • The Lure of Trincomalee in the 17th Century: An Analysis of the French Perspective and its Impact on Sri Lanka's Maritime Identity (Nadeera Rajapakse)
    • The Indian Ocean Space in Sri Lanka's Foreign Policy: Evolution of Strategic Perceptions Since Independence (Gamini Keerawella)
    • The Power of the Environment: The Ocean as a Geopolitical Tool (Sinharaja Tammita-Delgoda)
    • Sri Lanka and the Indian Ocean Identity in the 21st Century (Harinda Vidanage)
  • Economy, Security and Geopolitics:
    • An Economic Analysis of Sri Lanka's Indian Ocean Opportunity (Ganeshan Wignaraja)
    • Sri Lanka as a Commercial Hub in the Indian Ocean: The Role of Domestic Trade and Competitiveness Reforms (Anushka Wijesinha)
    • Indian Ocean and Sri Lanka's Maritime Security Strategy (Jayanath Colombage)
    • Changing Dynamics of the Indian Ocean: Opportunities and Challenges for Sri Lanka (Udaya Perera)
    • Power Struggle in the Indian Ocean: Perspective from Sri Lanka (Chulanee Attanayake)
  • External Perspectives:
    • Island States and Ocean Geopolitics: Lessons for Sri Lanka (Jivanta Schöttli)
    • Sri Lanka's Quest for Maritime Identity in the Post-Civil War Period (P Sahadevan)
    • Belt & Road Initiative and China–Sri Lanka Relation (Zhong Feiteng)
    • Sri Lanka's Role in the US Indo-Pacific Strategy (Shiyana Gunasekara)
    • Japan's Perspective on Sri Lanka as a Maritime Nation (Satoru Nagao)
    • Emerging Sri Lanka and Australia Maritime Relations Amid a Contested Indian Ocean Space (Roshni Kapur)
  • Conclusion
  • Index
Readership: Undergraduate and graduate students and scholars specialising in South Asian studies, international relations, or geopolitics, specifically in the South Asian region. Professionals who are interested in the foreign relations of Sri Lanka. General public who is interested in South Asia, or specifically Sri Lanka, and its geopolitical relations.