On 9 March 2024, the National Institute of Advanced Studies published NESA Center alum Asanga Abeyagoonasekera's analysis of the rise of ultra-nationalism in Sri Lanka and its impact on the country's elections.

"The state of Sri Lanka has a four-pronged challenge: first, the rise of Tamil Nationalism with a separatist agenda; second, India’s sub-colony mentality due to the acquisition of strategic assets; third, the Tamil Nadu factor over Katchatheevu; and fourth, India’s geopolitical manoeuvres through security measures to ward off Chinese influence on the island. These four factors already influence the domestic political arena, where Sinhalese Buddhist Nationalism will have a high impact and result in the next presidential election," writes Abeyagoonasekera.

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About the Author

Asanga Abeyagoonasekera is an International Security and Geopolitics Analyst and Strategic Advisor from Sri Lanka. He is a Senior Fellow and Executive Director of the South Asia Foresight Network (SAFN) at the Millennium Project in Washington, DC. He is the author of the recent book Teardrop Diplomacy (2023) published by Bloomsbury.

About the Publisher

The National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) is a research institute in Bengaluru, India.

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