| dc.description.abstract | The emergence of intricate superpower rivalry in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) has
assumed signi cant economic and political importance within the Indo-Paci c framework.
Sri Lanka nds itself situated at the heart of this complex situation. The emergence of
the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) as a signi cant geopolitical battleground has engendered
competition among key global powers, hence exerting profound implications on both
the region itself and the international community as a whole. The establishment of the
regional security framework relies on the active involvement of India and the United
States, with signi cant contributions from Japan, France, and the United Kingdom. Additionally,
the capacity of New Delhi to garner agreement for a multipolar global order
and the preservation of unrestricted maritime passage will face scrutiny. Moreover,
considering its favourable diplomatic ties with the majority of governments in the Indo-
Paci c region, China’s stance will have a direct impact on the security dynamics of
the Indo-Paci c. Periodic circumstances in Sri Lanka’s history have warranted strategic
realignment of its instruments of national power to suit changing global and regional
power dynamics. Recent global events and regional incidents have pushed Sri Lanka
to look inward and among others rethink its Economic, Foreign and Military Grand
Strategies. The paper touches upon unconventional/asymmetric warfare, cyber warfare
and the use of Intelligence and clandestine operations as an alternative to ensuring
national security and a war strategy for numerically inferior smaller states. Clausewitz
asserts that the defensive mode of warfare possesses inherent strength surpassing that
of the o ensive. In order to overcome this formidable defensive strength, Clausewitz
contends that an army’s most e ective weapon is the advantage of superior numerical
strength. Based on this theoretical framework, it may be argued that a signi cant number
of countries globally face economic constraints that prevent them from maintaining
numerically superior military forces. In his book "Spec Ops," William H. McRaven
postulates that smaller forces might attain a position of relative supremacy within limited
timeframes. The paper does not establish a connection between the concept of relative
supremacy and the instruments of power related to Diplomacy and Foreign Policy, Trade,
and Economy. The concept is often emphasised in the military sphere as a feasible path
of action. | en_US |
