Sri Lanka Perspectives by Col R Hariharan Assesses the impact of Gulf War 3.0 on the Island nation caught on the active periphery of the conflict   War in perspective   The plight of Sri Lanka, an island nation of about 23 million people caught in the after effect of a war in faraway Iran and GCC countries (Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirate - UAE) reminds one of Satyajit Ray’s acclaimed 1973 film Asani Sanket (Distant Thunder). The movie d

Here is how countries in South Asia - India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are preparing for a medium to long term crisis replicating recent disruptions such as COVID 19 as of March 22.

Ministry of External Affairs in the parliament outlines perspectives on India's Neighbourhood First Policy covering measuress to strengthen India's strategic position with concerted support to countries in the region and managing China's expanding influence in the Indian Ocean Region. Have a look-

Col R Hariharan’s Sri Lanka Perspectives February 2026 a comprehensive examination of impact of  arrest of Sri Lanka’s former intelligence chief Major General Suresh Salley Will the arrest of Sri Lanka’s former intelligence chief Major General Suresh Salley in the last week of the month, in connection with the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks that killed nearly 270 people, bring to a closure of cases pending for the last seven years? I am not too sure because Gen Salley’s ar

In Sri Lanka Perspectives December 2025, Col R Hariharan outlines the many achievements of the AKD government during the year and the challenges ahead.   The year 2025 will be remembered in Sri Lanka for Cyclone Ditwah, which struck the Sri Lanka coast towards the end of November. The heavy rain and landslides during the cyclone presents a grim picture: 644 people losing their lives, 18 injured, while 183 people were missing. The World Bank has estimated initial damage from t

Representative Image by Wix AI Col R Hariharan in Sri Lanka Perspectives November 2025 outlines the perils arising from Cyclone Ditwah and Lankan Response, Indian Assistance and other challenges facing the AKD government.   Cyclone Ditwah   President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) would remember his 58th birthday on November 24 for long as the disastrous cyclone Ditwah struck a few days later. Before the cyclone struck, heavy rains in coastal cities and northern highlands fl

Representative Gemini AI Generated Image In the realist decade of the 21st Century, zero sum traps were not unexpected. At the apex geopolitical level, China and the United States are in an announced G2—this was most famously stated by US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in South Korea last week. The US China competition and conflict scenario is naturally reflected across the world, and South Asia is also impacted by this phenomenon. As the least in

Col R Hariharan in Sri Lanka Perspectives October 2025 highlights how the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led NPP government has made a pragmatic shift to overcome past ghosts and expand relations wtih India.   The highlight of the month of October is Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya’s official visit to India from October 16 to 18.  This was the 55 year-old former academic’s first visit to India after she became PM. She is no stranger to India, particularly New Delhi, having

Col R Hariharan in Sri Lanka Perspectives September 2025 highlights how President AKD clearly expressed distress at the ongoing...

Col R Hariharan on the ongoing political turbulence in Sri Lanka set into motion by the arrest of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe...