WHY TECHNOLOGY ANCHORS SRI LANKA'S MARITIME SECURITY

Understanding how and why technology now anchors Sri Lanka's maritime security

- 

This article, the second in a series by the Pathfinder Foundation's Pathfinder Institute, looks at how technology is strengthening Sri Lanka's maritime security through digital tools, surveillance systems, and artificial intelligence to protect the nation's waters and economic interests.

Sri Lanka's strategic location in the Indian Ocean, along the vital East-West shipping lanes connecting the Straits of Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb, and Malacca, grants the country considerable geopolitical and economic significance.

With a vast maritime territory that includes a territorial sea of 21,500 km², an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) spanning nearly eight times its landmass of 65,610 km², and a coastline extending 1,340 km, Sri Lanka stands as a key maritime hub in the region.

This strategic advantage also exposes the country to an increasingly complex and evolving maritime security environment. The Nation's economy and security are closely linked to the protection of this maritime domain, which encompasses vital sectors such as fisheries, trade and tourism.

Maritime Domain Challenges (MDR) range from traditional threats to more complex and evolving issues, including Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, human trafficking, drug trafficking, arms trafficking, maritime terrorism, and cyber threats to critical infrastructure. In today's rapidly evolving security landscape, leveraging advanced technology is crucial to safeguard the country's strategic and economic interests, foster greater regional cooperation, and contribute to long-term maritime stability and shared economic resilience.

Evolving Maritime Security Landscape