Author: Bhagya Senaratne, Ph.D.

I am the current Postdoctoral Fellow of Global Asia at the Center for Global Asia, New York University Shanghai, China. I am also attached to Sri Lanka's Kotelawala Defence University as a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor in the United States). I am the first academic from the Faculty of Defence & Strategic Studies and General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) to proceed on a postdoctoral fellowship and the only female academic at the Department of Strategic Studies to hold a doctorate. I research on areas such as Sri Lanka-China Relations, Diplomacy, Foreign Policy Analysis, Strategic Communications and Maritime Security.
Indian Ocean Region · International Relations · Maritime Policy · Public Diplomacy

The importance of public diplomacy in formulating a maritime policy for the Indian Ocean Region

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The Indian Ocean covers 20% of the Earth and is ranked as the third largest water body in the world. It has various matters related to maritime affairs which have to be resolved and policies that need to be implemented to ensure maritime safety and security of the littoral countries. In this context, the formulation…… Continue reading The importance of public diplomacy in formulating a maritime policy for the Indian Ocean Region

Indian Ocean Region · International Relations · Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s Strategic Relevance in the South Asian Region: An Analysis of India’s Indian Ocean Strategy and China’s Maritime Silk Route Initiative

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Both China and India have shown an increasing interest towards the Indian Ocean and have engineered several key strategies and initiatives, i.e. the Maritime Silk Route initiative by the former and the Indian Ocean Strategy by the latter. Both these two nations have also identified Sri Lanka, with its strategic location in the Indian Ocean…… Continue reading Sri Lanka’s Strategic Relevance in the South Asian Region: An Analysis of India’s Indian Ocean Strategy and China’s Maritime Silk Route Initiative

Economics · International Relations

Outcomes of the G20 Summit in Antalya

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Last week this page gave an overview into what the G20 is and what their summits are about. It helped understand what the group of 19 states and the EU stands for. It is the background to understanding the outcomes of the meeting in Antalya which will be discussed today. It should be mentioned at…… Continue reading Outcomes of the G20 Summit in Antalya

Economics · International Relations · Uncategorized

Understanding the G20 Summit in Turkey

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Whilst the world was talking about the bombings and shootings that took place in a few cities around the world over the previous weekend, a group of the world’s leading economies met for discussion. The 15th and 16th of November and the lead up to that weekend saw the Group of Twenty, commonly referred to…… Continue reading Understanding the G20 Summit in Turkey

Diplomacy · Sri Lanka

The Origin of Sri Lanka’s Foreign Service

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  Today there is much talk of gentlemen like Jayantha Dhanapala and H. M. G. S. Palihakkara, both former career diplomats of Sri Lanka. Both these two esteemed personnel are stalwarts in the diplomatic service and are regarded both locally and internationally. Dhanapala who was Sri Lanka’s official candidate for the post of Secretary-General of…… Continue reading The Origin of Sri Lanka’s Foreign Service