Sri Lanka is blessed with a beautiful climate and abundant natural resources. It is also ideally positioned at the southernmost point of the Indian Sub-Continent for the maritime trade which brings people, products and ideas from all over the world. Alas, the coin has two sides. Sri Lankas endowments naturally attract unwelcome external interest and big power rivalry. When the country is united, the external elements can be kept in balance. When the country is divided, the divisions are made worse by external forces. In 70 years of independence, Sri Lanka has had to confront interconnected internal and external challenges. Abeyagoonasekeras book describes and analyses these challenges and points a way forward to a happier future for this gem of an island in the Indian Ocean.
George Yeo, Former Foreign Minister of Singapore
As the Indo-Pacific theatre takes center stage in geopolitics, Sri Lanka has been cast in a central role. This timely and important collection sheds light on scenarios for the future of the country and region that open a window into forecasting the future power balance in Asia.
Parag Khanna, author of Connectography (2016) and The Future is Asian (2019)
This is one of the best books to understand the dilemma Sri Lanka is facing. Currently, the Japan-U.S.-India-Australia versus China confrontation has been intensifying. In such a situation, what should Sri Lanka do? The importance of Sri Lanka is rising and geographically speaking, the country has an advantage. Thus, Sri Lanka needs a strategy for surviving as a rising independent country, by using this geographical advantage. In this book, Asanga Abeyagoonasekera explains the right course with his in-depth knowledge of the country, allowing us to learn about the new, bright future of Sri Lanka.
Satoru Nagao, Visiting Fellow at Hudson Institute and expert on Japan-U.S.-India security cooperation
Asanga Abeyagoonasekera offers a unique perspective on a broad range of political, economic, and cultural trends as they impact and relate to Sri Lanka. With a focus on geopolitical influences, he offers great insight into the contemporary issues facing this relatively young island nation.
Karen S. Miller
Chair, Political Science, Criminal Justice, and Organizational Leadership Northern Kentucky University
This book is an interesting, important, and useful read for those who are to shape Sri Lankas foreign policy. I share most of the authors views. Sri Lanka has indeed an exceptional geopolitical position and will continue to be exposed to the interests and ambitions of great powers, China and India in particular. Sri Lanka will have to find, as Asanga suggests in the book, the appropriate balance between their own and foreign interests to assure its own security and development and the wellbeing of its people.
The special value of this book is its chapters dealing with the domestic situation in Sri Lanka. It is important to emphasise the successful endeavours for reconciliation and rehabilitation that have been implemented in Sri Lanka after three decades of war. Sri Lanka should serve as a positive example of how to re-establish a national society after a conflict. Unfortunately, these endeavours have been too long ignored outside the country.
This book will significantly contribute not only to a better understanding of Sri Lankas unique geopolitical position and its foreign policy choices, but also its great development potential based in particular on its geopolitical position, and on its domestic resources, including the current high level of education of its population, and consequently, the capacity for innovation, which is becoming the most important driving force of development.
Ernest Petri
Professor of International Law and International Relations, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Judge, Former Diplomat and President of the Constitution Court of Slovenia
This is a great project linking Sri Lankas geopolitics (as a backdrop) to examine the countrys national security, foreign policy, relations, national development, regional affairs, etc., in a globalised world namely involving China, India, and the U.S. It is an in-depth study connecting all these aspects defining Sri Lankas geopolitics, security, and development.
Runa Das
Professor of Political Science, University of Minnesota Duluth
Abeyagoonasekeras book discusses the shift of power from the Asia-Pacific to the Indo-Pacific. With its unique geographic position, its human and natural resources, Sri Lanka is resuming its geostrategic and geopolitical significance.
The book describes the decline of the west and how the epicenter of global development is shifting to Asia. After 450 years of colonial domination, the western civilization is on the decline. The world is witnessing the Fourth Industrial Revolution. In his admirable study, Abeyagoonasekera makes an appreciable contribution towards understanding our regions future!
Rohan Gunaratna
Head of the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research
S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, NTU
Asanga Abeyagoonasekera has written a wide-ranging and frank set of essays setting out a Sri Lankan point of view on the countrys geopolitical and internal political challenges and opportunities. Coming when the centrality and importance of the Indian Ocean and its littoral to Asian and world developments is increasing rapidly, this volume is a welcome addition to the literature. It is a realistic portrayal of Sri Lankas pivotal position, of her intertwined relations with India and China, and of her options for the future. It should therefore be of considerable interest to the foreign policy community and all those interested in the future development of this critical country and region.
Shivshankar Menon
Former Foreign Secretary and National Security Advisor to the Indian Prime Minister
This book provides solid impetus to the work of dedicated and determined, contemporary leaders who are optimistic of a better world. Through a compendium of essays, this work provides readers with in-depth analyses about issues ranging from geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific to the changing role of world order, foreign policy to reconciliation and peace building, and democracy to cyber security. This scholarly work is a timely contribution to the existing literature, and undoubtedly supports the advancement of knowledge and the understanding of geopolitics and allied fields.
Eugene de Silva
CEO, Virginia Research Institute, USA
Asanga Abeyagoonasekera skilfully and meticulously guides the reader to a clearer understanding of the thinking and decision-making within the highest echelons during various periods of Sri Lankas recent past, and also offers a trenchant analysis as to the countrys aspirations (including in the wider geopolitical and strategic context) into the future.
Shashi Jayakumar
Head, Centre of Excellence for National Security,
S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, NTU
For those interested in the future of Sri Lanka and its position in the region and the world, this book shares many insights for a serious overview of prospects and strategies that must be considered.
Jerome C. Glenn, CEO and Co-Founder, The Millennium Project
This book provides keen insights into Sri Lankas political and economic future by looking at key aspects that have shaped this countrys past and present. Sri Lanka is at crossroads in multiple ways, most importantly because it lies squarely in the middle of an extremely strategic position geographically. Asanga Abeygoonesekera, using his considerable experience as an academic and political insider, addresses the promises and perils of being sandwiched between two rising superpowers, India and China. The book is for those concerned about which economic, political and diplomatic paths this island nation should follow in order to secure peace and prosperity for its people. It is certainly a must read for academics interested in Sri Lanka and the region.
