Redefining National Security: FROM STABILITY TO RESILIENCE IN A CHANGING WORLD

National security in the twenty-first century can no longer be confined to the traditional domains of political sovereignty, territorial integrity, and regime stability. For nations like Sri Lanka, emerging from decades of internal conflict and adapting to global transformations, the concept of security must evolve into one that safeguards people, ecosystems, and institutions from multifaceted threats — both man-made and environmental. This article redefines national security within a moderate political and global framework, arguing for a strategic shift from the conventional stability model to a resilience-based paradigm that aligns governance, development, and climate adaptation in an era of uncertainty.

- By Mahil Dole

Modern national security demands a whole-of-society approach, encompassing not merely military strength or intelligence capacity, but also the alignment of governance, economy, social cohesion, and environmental stewardship. FILE PHOTO

(FILE PHOTO)

The end of the old security order

National security has historically been interpreted through a narrow lens — the protection of the state from external aggression and internal subversion. This conception, born of colonial legacies and Cold War anxieties, prioritised the survival of the state apparatus over the well-being of the people. In Sri Lanka, the post-independence decades reinforced this model, focusing on territorial defence, political control, and counterinsurgency.

However, the 21st century has altered the terrain of insecurity. Climate change, pandemics, cyber warfare, disinformation, and economic vulnerability now pose threats as grave as terrorism or invasion. The traditional triad of political, social, and economic stability is insufficient to safeguard a nation in the face of such systemic and transnational risks.

It is therefore time to redefine national security — from a static shield against perceived enemies to a dynamic system of resilience that allows a nation to adapt, recover, and thrive amid continuous shocks.

The shift from stability to resilience

Traditional thinking equated stability with control: stable governments, stable prices, and stable borders. Yet stability without adaptability breeds fragility. The COVID-19 pandemic, global supply-chain disruptions, and extreme weather events have demonstrated that rigid systems collapse under stress, while resilient systems flex and recover.