I organised a national seminar for General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU), Sri Lanka titled “Sri Lanka’s Post-Independence Defence Policy” on 2^nd June 2022 to discuss the development of Sri Lanka’s Defence Policy during the period since Sri Lanka gained independence in 1948.

The seminar deliberated on various aspects of Sri Lanka’s defence policy since independence as previously, the evolution of the armed forces alongside contemporary challenges were not discussed. The seminar was attended by IR academics and practitioners, military officers, and students to discuss the problems and challenges faced by Sri Lanka in implementing its defence policy and to facilitate a discourse on various dimensions of national security.

Sri Lanka’s Post-Independence Defence Policy: Past, Present and Future Projections contains improved and updated versions of the proceedings from the seminar. The publication of Sri Lanka’s Post-Independence Defence Policy: Past, Present and Future Projections comes at a phenomenal time in Sri Lanka’s history, as certain aspects of Sri Lanka’s security are challenged, and the need to strengthen the bond between the state and the citizen is emphasised. The book contains eleven chapters by academics and practitioners of Sri Lanka’s security policy.

You can read/download the introduction to the book here.

Cite the book as:

Senaratne, B. and de Silva, S. (Eds.) (2023). Sri Lanka’s Post-Independence Defence Policy: Past, Present and Future Projections. Ratmalana: General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University.