US Admiral Paparo highlights Lanka’s strategic role in Indo-Pacific security

US Indo-Pacific Command Commander, Admiral Samuel J. Paparo, said on Thursday that Sri Lanka’s geostrategic location enables it to influence maritime activities crucial to the entire Pacific region.

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Speaking to student officers at the National Defence College in Colombo, Admiral Paparo stated: “Sri Lanka’s key position at the crossroads of the Indian Ocean is strategically vital. The island borders crucial sea lanes that connect the Pacific and Indian Oceans with all seas. This geography allows Sri Lanka to influence maritime activities that are essential for the entire Pacific.”

He continued, “The Indo-Pacific is not just vital to our militaries; it is the engine of global prosperity. These waters carry more than half of the world’s trade, and the security environment we shape today will affect future generations.”

He emphasized, “What happens in these oceans isn’t isolated but forms an interconnected security environment across the Pacific and Indian Oceans—and indeed, all seas.”