Power Balance between China and India to Project Sri Lanka into Propitious Future

Abstract

Sri Lankan socio-politico changes offer desire for achieving unprecedented prosperity changes in all spheres in view of projecting Sri Lanka into a better future. With the end of the three decade long conflict, Sri Lanka enjoys much needed propitious circumstances than before. With its significant geo-strategic location and favourable economic geography Sri Lanka attracts a great deal of concern from regional and global powers. Sri Lanka has twisted between India and China in their strategic completion. It is of utmost importance to balance the strategic power competition between these two nations and improve bilateral relations as a determinant to achieve a win-win situation for Sri Lanka’s social progression and economic acceleration. Being a developing nation in South Asia, Sri Lanka needs to accept the geo-strategic concerns of India as well as the growing strategic interest of China in projecting their power into the Indian Ocean region and beyond. Sri Lanka has maintained very conducive diplomatic relations with these two nations and they have even extended their support when Sri Lankan’s national interest was threatened in numerous occasions. Sri Lanka has maintained a non-aligned foreign policy since independence. However, with the socio-political change in the country it demands rapid economic development in every sphere. Accepting Indian South Asian leadership as well as accommodating Chinese strategic interest is equally important to achieve far-reaching propitious objectives of Sri Lanka. The paper will be divided into several sections. Firstly, it offers a brief description of the growing strategic concerns of India and China in relation to their strategic ends, which provides a base for the subsequent discussion. It is expected to elaborate research findings at the conclusion. Data will be collected from open sources as well as from key interviews conducted with focus groups in order to ascertain undocumented perspectives. Lessons derived from this research will be disseminated / published for wider audience to enrich their understanding.