Emerging Power Rivalry in the Indian Ocean Region: Geopolitical Implications for Sri Lanka

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 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.