<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE article PUBLIC "-//NLM//DTD JATS (Z39.96) Journal Publishing DTD v1.2d1 20170631//EN" "JATS-journalpublishing1.dtd">
<ArticleSet>
  <Article>
    <Journal>
      <PublisherName>ejsss</PublisherName>
      <JournalTitle>ELECTRONIC JOURNAL OF SOCIAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES</JournalTitle>
      <PISSN/>
      <EISSN/>
      <Volume-Issue>Volume 6 Issue 2</Volume-Issue>
      <PartNumber/>
      <IssueTopic>Multidisciplinary</IssueTopic>
      <IssueLanguage>English</IssueLanguage>
      <Season>August-September 2025</Season>
      <SpecialIssue>N</SpecialIssue>
      <SupplementaryIssue>N</SupplementaryIssue>
      <IssueOA>Y</IssueOA>
      <PubDate>
        <Year>2025</Year>
        <Month>09</Month>
        <Day>30</Day>
      </PubDate>
      <ArticleType>Regional/Country Studies</ArticleType>
      <ArticleTitle>Emerging Power Rivalry in the Indian Ocean Region: Geopolitical Implications for Sri Lanka</ArticleTitle>
      <SubTitle/>
      <ArticleLanguage>English</ArticleLanguage>
      <ArticleOA>Y</ArticleOA>
      <FirstPage>224</FirstPage>
      <LastPage>243</LastPage>
      <AuthorList>
        <Author>
          <FirstName>Asantha</FirstName>
          <LastName>Senevirathna</LastName>
          <AuthorLanguage>English</AuthorLanguage>
          <Affiliation/>
          <CorrespondingAuthor>N</CorrespondingAuthor>
          <ORCID/>
        </Author>
      </AuthorList>
      <DOI>10.47362/EJSSS.2025.6204 </DOI>
      <Abstract>Sri Lanka is an island nation strategically located in the Indian Ocean Region. The global superpower United States, the rising global power China and the regional power India is competing for power in the region. Sri Lanka has become an important part of the Belt and Road Initiative of China with massive infrastructure projects been implemented in the island. The growing Chinese influence in Sri Lanka is recognized by the United States and India as a threat to their sphere of influence. Both the United States and India worry that Sri Lanka can become a part of China’s sphere of influence seriously challenging the strategic interests of those countries. In this background, it is important to identify the geopolitical interests of major powers in the region and the possible implications for Sri Lanka. The paper discusses Sri Lanka’s approach to balance relations between the United States, India, and China.</Abstract>
      <AbstractLanguage>English</AbstractLanguage>
      <Keywords>Indian Ocean Region, Superpower, Regional power, Belt and Road Initiative, Sri Lanka</Keywords>
      <URLs>
        <Abstract>https://www.ejsss.net.in/ubijournal-v1copy/journals/abstract.php?article_id=15967&amp;title=Emerging Power Rivalry in the Indian Ocean Region: Geopolitical Implications for Sri Lanka</Abstract>
      </URLs>
      <References>
        <ReferencesarticleTitle>References</ReferencesarticleTitle>
        <ReferencesfirstPage>16</ReferencesfirstPage>
        <ReferenceslastPage>19</ReferenceslastPage>
        <References>Berlin, D. L. (2006). India in the Indian Ocean. Naval War College Review, 59(2), 58-89. Retrieved from https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol59/iss2/6.&#13;
&#13;
Bradford, J. F. (2011). The Maritime Strategy of the United States: Implications for Indo-Pacific Sea Lanes. Contemporary Southeast Asia, 33(2), 183-208.&#13;
&#13;
Brendix, A. (2018). Sri Lanka is building a $15 billion metropolis meant to rival cities like Hong Kong and Dubai. Retrieved January 20, 2025, from https://www.businessinsider.com/sri-lanka-port-city-dubai-2018-9.&#13;
&#13;
Brewster, D. (2010). An Indian Sphere of Influence in the Indian Ocean?.  Security Challenges, 6(3), 1-20.&#13;
&#13;
Brewster, D. (2014). The Gulf States, Asia and the Indian Ocean: Ensuring the Security of the Sea Lanes. Journal of the Indian Ocean Region, 10(2), 133-149.&#13;
&#13;
Brewster, D. (2016). India and China at Sea: A Contest of Status and Legitimacy in the Indian Ocean, Asia Policy, 22, 4-10.&#13;
&#13;
Bullion, A. (2009). Indiaand;#39;s Regional Role Challenged by Chinese Presence in Sri Lanka. Indian Journal of Asian Affairs, 22(1/2), 47-55.&#13;
&#13;
Centre of Strategic and; International Studies. (n.d.). Hambantota Deep Sea Port Phase II (PPP). Retrieved January 17, 2025. from https://reconnectingasia.csis.org/database/projects/hambantota-deep-sea-port-phase-ii-ppp/938b50ad-7e21-418e-a475-7ac007e53314/.&#13;
&#13;
Chance, A. (2016). American Perspectives on the Belt and Road Initiative Sources of Concern and Possibilities for Cooperation. Washington D.C., Institute for China-America Studies. https://chinaus-icas.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/American-Perspectives-on-the-Belt-and-Road-Initiative.pdf&#13;
&#13;
Cohen, S. B. (1973). Geography and Politics in a World Divided .(Second ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.&#13;
&#13;
Dasgupta, A. (2018). India’s Strategy in the Indian Ocean Region: A Critical Aspect of India’s Energy Security. Jadavpur Journal of International Relations, 22(1), 39–57.&#13;
&#13;
Doctor, A. H. (1990). Indiaand;#39;s Indian Ocean Policy. The Indian Journal of Political Science, 51(3), 360-379.&#13;
&#13;
Ferdinando, S. (2019, April 19). US-Lanka military exercise in China managed port: Arleigh Burke-class Destroyer at H’tota. The Island. Retrieved from http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-detailsand;page=article-detailsand;code_title=202852&#13;
&#13;
Foizee, B. (2020, February 11). Chinese influence never left Sri Lanka: While the Gotabaya Rajapaksa presidency will push the island nation further into Beijingand;#39;s lap, even his predecessor Sirisena had little power to change that reality. Asia Time. Retrieved from https://asiatimes.com/2020/02/chinese-influence-never-left-sri-lanka/&#13;
&#13;
Gamage, D. (2018, October 06). U.S. Vice President Declares: Sri Lanka southern port a military base for China. Asian Tribune. Retrieved from http://www.asiantribune.com/node/92207&#13;
&#13;
Gupta, A. K., and; Balakrishnan, I. (2010). Sino-Sri Lankan Convergence: Threat Perceptions for India. The Indian Journal of Political Science ,71(1), 203-211.&#13;
&#13;
Halder, S. (2018). Mapping Substance in India’s Counter-strategies to China’s Emergent Belt and Road Initiative: Narratives and Counter-Narratives. Indian Journal of Asian Affairs, 31 (1/2), 75-90.&#13;
&#13;
Hawksworth, J., Clarry R., and; Audino H. (2017). The Long View: How will the global economic order change by 2050?. PricewaterhouseCoopers: London. Retrieved from https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/world-2050/assets/pwc-the-world-in-2050-full-report-feb-2017.pdf&#13;
&#13;
India concerned over China’s plans in Sri Lanka. (2018, February 05). Daily Financial Times. Retrieved from http://www.ft.lk/opinion/India-concerned-over-China-s-plans-in-Sri-Lanka/14-648714&#13;
&#13;
International Monetory Fund. (2025). GDP based on PPP, share of world. Retrieved January 17, 2025. from https://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/PPPSH@WEO/CHN/USA/JPN&#13;
&#13;
Jacques, M. (2009). When China Rules the World: The Rise of the Middle Kingdom and the End of the Western World. London: Penguin.&#13;
&#13;
Jayasekara, S. A. (2015, September 07). A dockyard at Hambantota Port. Daily Mirror. Retrieved from http://www.dailymirror.lk/86367/a-dockyard-at-hambantota-port&#13;
&#13;
Jayatilake, T. (2017, December 07). Indian Ocean politics of the 21st century – A view from Sri Lanka. Daily Financial Times. Retrieved from http://www.ft.lk/columns/Indian-Ocean-politics-of-the-21st-century-A-view-from-Sri-Lanka/4-644650&#13;
&#13;
Jayawardane, A. (1992). Changes in Power Structure and Security Perceptions in the South Asian Sub-system. In P.V.J. Jayasekera (Ed.). Security Dilemma of a Small State Part I: Sri Lanka in the South Asian Context (pp. 286-304). New Delhi: South Asian Publishers.&#13;
&#13;
Jonathan, H. E. (2018). Game of Loans: How China Bought Hambantota. Retrieved January 20, 2020, from https://csisprod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fspublic/publication/180717_Hillman_GameofLoans.pdf?bjj0dzdfO5jaedmhoC2Eq7pC6cknyvEz.&#13;
&#13;
Kaplan, R. D. (2009). Center Stage for the Twenty-first Century: Power Plays in the Indian Ocean. Foreign Affairs, 88(2), 16-32.&#13;
&#13;
Kaplan, R. D. (2010). Monsoon: the Indian Ocean and the future of American power. New York: Random House Publishing.&#13;
&#13;
Kaplan, R. D. (2012). The revenge of geography: what the map tells us about coming conflicts and the battle against fate. New York: Random House Publishing.&#13;
&#13;
Kaul, R. (1974). The Indian Ocean: A Strategic Posture for India. In T.T. Poulose. Indian Ocean Power Rivalry, New Delhi: Young Asia Publications.&#13;
&#13;
Nisa, W. (2019). Indo-US Naval Cooperation: Geo-Strategic Ramifications for the Region. Policy Perspectives, 16(1), 41-59.&#13;
&#13;
Panikkar, K. M. (1951). India and the India Ocean: An Essay on the Influence of Sea Power on Indian History. (Second ed.). London: George Allen and; Unwin Ltd.&#13;
&#13;
Pasricha, A. (2017). India’s Planned Investment in Sri Lanka’s Trincomalee Port Gets a Push. Voice of America. Retrieved January 21, 2025. from https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pacific/indias-planned-investment-sri-lankas-trincomalee-port-gets-push&#13;
&#13;
Robinson, K. (2015). US Pivot to the Asia-Pacific: Implications for Sino-Indian Relations. World Affairs: The Journal of International Issues, 19(4), 74-91.&#13;
&#13;
Senevirathna, A. (2021). Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Indo-pacific Strategy (IPS): Challenges and Opportunities for Sri Lanka. In P. Jaiswal and; D.P. Bhatt (Eds.), Rebalancing Asia: The Belt and Road initiative and Indo-Pacific Strategy (pp.181-192). Singapore: Springer.&#13;
&#13;
Shepard, W. (2017). Done Deal: China Buys Strategic Sri Lankan Seaport; The Belt and Road Reigns Victorious. Forbes. Retrieved January 20, 2025, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/wadeshepard/2017/07/27/china-buys-up-strategic-sri-lankan-seaport-as-the-maritime-silk-road-sails-on/#6ac0c06f6f4c&#13;
&#13;
Sirimal, G.A.D. (2022, July 19). China’s role in Sri Lanka’s economic crisis. The Island. Retrieved from https://island.lk/chinas-role-in-lankas-economic-crisis/&#13;
&#13;
Sr Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) (2024). Background of United States of America. Retrieved  January 20, 2025, from https://www.srilankabusiness.com/exporters/market-profiles/united-states.html&#13;
&#13;
Suryanarayan, V. (2008). India-Sri Lanka Equation: Geography as Opportunity. In D.M. Malone, C. RajaMoahan and; S. Raghavan (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Indian Foreign Policy (pp.508–522). Oxford: Oxford University Press.&#13;
&#13;
Varma, R. (1967). Strategic Importance of the Indian Ocean. The Indian Journal of Political Science, 28(1/2), 51-61.&#13;
&#13;
Wignaraja, G. (2019). Making the Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact Work for Sri Lanka, Asia Pacific Bulletin: 488. Retrieved December 20, 2024, from https://www.eastwestcenter.org/system/tdf/private/apb488_0.pdf?file=1and;type=nodeand;id=37277&#13;
&#13;
World Bank. (2023). Exports of goods and services. Retrieved  December 20, 2024, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/BX.GSR.GNFS.CD?most_recent_value_desc=true</References>
      </References>
    </Journal>
  </Article>
</ArticleSet>