The Institute of National Security Studies (INSS), the national security think tank under the Ministry of Defence, convened a closed-door roundtable discussion on 22nd December 2025 titled “Maritime Domain, Non-Traditional Threats and Human Security, Counter-Terrorism, Foreign Policy and Geopolitical Competition in the Indian Ocean Region.” The discussion was moderated by Major General W. A. S. R. Wijedasa (Retd) WWV, RSP, USP, ndc, psc, Director General of INSS, with Rear Admiral Y. N. Jayarathne (Retd) RWP*, RSP, USP, ndu, psc, a renowned maritime expert, serving as the guest speaker.
Held at the INSS conference hall, the session brought together a limited number of participants physically, alongside others joining virtually via Zoom. The discussion adopted a practical and policy-relevant approach, with the guest speaker seeking to bridge policy formulation with operational realities in the maritime domain.
Rear Admiral Jayarathne elaborated on Sri Lanka’s strategic positioning in the Indian Ocean Region and its ability to prosper as a maritime nation, emphasising the need for a coherent and forward-looking maritime vision. He highlighted the imperativeness of harbours and port infrastructure as critical enablers of economic growth, national security, and regional connectivity. The discussion also addressed emerging and non-traditional maritime threats, including illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and maritime trafficking, underscoring the need for effective deterrence mechanisms supported by inter-agency collaboration and regional cooperation.
Further, the guest speaker stressed the importance of research and development, data-driven decision-making, and the use of online tools for learning and capacity-building. He also drew attention to the impact of natural disasters and evolving geographical and environmental changes on maritime security, highlighting the necessity for policies and strategies to remain updated and responsive to these dynamic challenges.
In this context, INSS intends to launch a novel series of engagements on National Security in the New Year 2026, aimed at bringing together relevant stakeholders to deliberate on the critical components of national security and to promote informed, practice-oriented policy discourse.
