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NAVSTRAT-2030

trafficking is the lack of enforcement capacity on the high seas. The phenomenon
of illicit drug trade, drug circulation and drug addiction are not new to the country,
but it has reached a level which the government cannot further ignore. Not only for
Sri Lanka, but it has also become a serious issue for regional as well as extra
regional countries despite numerous counter mechanisms. In the Sri Lankan
scenario, it is not only identified as a serious social and health issue but also a huge
challenge to national security due to the wide range of associated criminal activities.

 IUU Fishing. IUU fishing in the Palk Bay area is generally recognized as a
significant threat to food security, sustainable marine ecology, maritime
livelihoods, and the maritime economy. Therefore, IUU fishing must be considered
a significant maritime security threat in the Palk Bay area and is likely to be a threat
in the Bay of Bengal in the IOR. Therefore, it is necessary to implement robust
policies to combat IUU fishing to minimize the spread of maritime transnational
criminal activities such as drug trafficking and other impacts of IUU fishing.

National Economy and Maritime Security

Admiral Mahan developed a simple yet powerful idea about how a country’s economic success,
its maritime trade and its navy are interconnected. He outlined a logical sequence, when a nation
is active in economic endeavours, it naturally engages in maritime trade, moving goods both along
its coasts and across oceans. To safeguard this trade, a navy is essential. The navy’s protection not
only ensures the safety of the trade but also increases its general prosperity. In this way, the
relationship forms a positive cycle where economic activity leads to trade, which in turn requires
a navy for protection and the protected trade further enhances the nation’s wealth. In the
contemporary context, maritime security is a collective effort involving various stakeholders
operating at different levels. The acceptance and implementation of maritime enforcement
jurisdiction by recognized agencies within the liberal international order are pivotal in this regard.
Globally, Coast Guards play a significant role in upholding maritime law enforcement. Their
involvement underscores a comprehensive approach where cooperation among diverse entities is
crucial for the effective safeguarding of maritime interests and the maintenance of order in sea
areas of interest often within littorals.

Sri Lanka became an important transshipment hub because of its geo-strategic location in the
th
Indian Ocean. Supporting the facts, the Port of Colombo ranked as the 24 best port in the world
and the highest performing port in South Asia accordance to the review of UNCTAD in year 2022.
Furthermore, the huge volume of traffic passing through close to the Southern tip of Sri Lanka in
the Indian Ocean includes 70 percent of the global oil trade and 50 percent of the global container
traffic in which some traffic is facilitating its ports (Ports of Hambantota and Galle) outside port
limits (OPL) services to approximately 750 ships per month, primarily in Galle. Moreover,
offshore supply of fuel and gas buoys, Major submarine cables connecting the mainland, proposed
wind farms offshore and many more economically viable infrastructures within port limits and
construction of Colombo Port City, tourist hot spots including accommodations along the coast
are directly connected to the blue economy and demand maritime security to decide its direction
in long run.

Blue Economy and Maritime Security

Sri Lanka’s maritime zones and continental shelf contain some of the world’s richest
concentrations of biodiversity and supports the livelihoods of millions of people, both directly and
indirectly. Sri Lanka’s marine resources also include essential commodities, such as petroleum,

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