Sea Power of Island Nations in the 21st Century: Challenges and Opportunities for Sri Lanka

Abstract

This paper discusses the importance of applying the maritime concept of Sea Power as a pragmatic strategy to counter non-traditional maritime security threats to Sri Lanka. The researcher, as a practitioner as well as a scholar in the field of maritime security, argues that the lack of coherent functionalism between maritime strategies and practices is a key to the maritime security problems faced by countries such as Sri Lanka. This is a research conducted by studying the maritime concept of Sea Power, maritime practices of small state navies and challenges and opportunities with special reference to Sri Lanka. Sea Power is broadly defined as the military and civil maritime capabilities of a country. Sri Lanka is more vulnerable to non-traditional maritime security issues such as drug trafficking, gun running, terrorism, piracy, poaching, marine pollution, human smuggling, illegal transfer of item and Illegal Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing activities. Therefore, counter strategies should be developed by taking the maritime theories and practices into consideration. The research problem highlighted the inadequacy of addressing the social reality in the field of maritime security in Sri Lanka. Further, it is intended to examine how these maritime strategies could be applied as a practice to strengthen the national security of the country. This puzzling issue highlights the significance of understanding the concept of Sea Power and its usage. The objective of this paper is to draw attention to understand the necessity of transition of maritime strategies to practitioners to take effective actions. The researcher has selected qualitative research method with collecting data from secondary sources and this includes scholarly articles, books, case studies, journals, etc. Further, the researcher use data collected through his personnel observation. A theoretical review is discussed with the broad theoretical framework of ‘Strategy as Practice’. The requirement of affiliation between maritime theoreticians, developers and practitioners is seen as the primary need to address the national maritime challenges of the day.