Former Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ravinatha Aryasinha, said that Sri Lanka has “neglected” relationships with middle-power countries.
He noted that this strategic oversight has hampered the nation’s ability to expand trade, investment, and diplomatic influence.
Speaking at the launch of the think tank Asian Geopolitics, Sustainability and the Peace Council, Aryasinha stressed that Sri Lanka should not overly depend on traditional partners such as China, India, and the United States.
While acknowledging a largely positive relationship with India, he cautioned against blindly aligning with major powers at the expense of broader international engagement.
Reflecting on Sri Lanka’s diplomatic history, Aryasinha praised former Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike for successfully galvanising a coalition of African, Asian, and Latin American nations, highlighting the importance of diversifying foreign partnerships beyond dominant global actors.
He singled out countries including Japan, Australia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Brazil as middle powers with which Sri Lanka should deepen ties. “If we have depth in those relationships, that will give us not just options, but the ability to leverage better in our collective endeavours,” he said.
Aryasinha also linked this diplomatic strategy to Sri Lanka’s economic challenges, particularly its heavy reliance on apparel exports to the US and Europe.
He criticised the country’s failure to diversify its export base, calling it an internal issue that cannot be resolved by external actors.
Using US tariffs imposed during the Trump administration as an example, he warned that Sri Lanka’s narrow trading partnerships limit its economic resilience.
“Those exports can’t go anywhere else. Who’s going to buy our apparel?” he questioned, urging the country to rethink its trade policies and diplomatic approach to build a more sustainable and diversified economy.
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