Role of Indo – Sri Lanka navy as an instrument of foreign policy

Abstract

A nation’s interaction with its peers in the global community of nations is determined by its foreign policy. The most popular mean of exercising foreign policy objectives is through directly appointed diplomat, state representative or through direct involvement of the head of the particular state. Apart from individual diplomatic involvement, the study identifies navy as an effectual mean of using “sea power” in furtherance of diplomatic and political objectives of a country. Indian and Sri Lankan navies are no exception and are ideally suited to further the foreign policy objectives with added advantage that the Indian peninsula just into the Indian Ocean thus providing access to the littorals of far flung countries of Asia and Africa and also to Australia and Antarctica. The purpose of the study is to identify the diplomatic characteristics of Indo-Sri Lankan navies and trying to figure out why both India and Sri Lankan government are reluctant to formally grant them such recognition and hesitate to actively involve them in tasks in the scope of naval power politics and recommend measures to address the current inadequacies. Concerning the methodology, comparative methods as well as qualitative method was applied. Also semi-structured guideline-interviews with relevant specialists, naval officers and politicians were undertaken to sound out official opinion towards the use of navy for the practice of diplomacy. The main findings of the research are that foreign policy foreign policy oriented missions of Indo – Sri Lanka armies have been confined to the lower end of the political spectrum due to lack of state sponsorship and financial resources. It lacks joint naval mechanisms to counter non-traditional threats, operational calls and joint naval exercises which are assume significant for the sake of expanding cordial relation and also enhancing national security. The paper as the conclusion recognizes that the navy is ideally suited to diplomatically further foreign policy of the country. The government acknowledge mend the navy’s role in foreign policy activities of the navies in diplomatic role should be given a wide publicity , expansion of joint operations, coordinate in countering non-traditional threat in Indian Ocean and expanding maritime cooperation beyond defense lines are the suggestions for the study.