2025, Vol. 7, Issue 12, Part A

Author(s): Anup Kumar Giri and Govind Gaurav

Abstract: This paper examines how China's strategic engagements in Sri Lanka—manifested through infrastructure investments, maritime access, and diplomatic leverage—are reshaping the regional security architecture and posing significant challenges to India's traditional sphere of influence. By analysing the evolution of China-Sri Lanka relations in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and comparing it with India's reactive and proactive strategies in the region, the paper assesses the shifting balance of power in South Asia and the wider Indo-Pacific. The paper argues that China's presence in Sri Lanka is not merely economic but deeply strategic, carrying implications for India’s maritime security, southern command vulnerabilities, and its larger Indo-Pacific aspirations. Further, the paper underscores the urgency for India to recalibrate its approach toward Sri Lanka through strategic diplomacy, regional multilateralism, and maritime domain awareness to safeguard its national interests in an increasingly contested Indian Ocean Region.

DOI: 10.33545/26646021.2025.v7.i12a.773

Pages: 47-52 | Views: 49 | Downloads: 6

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