Better late than never: Sri Lanka's national well -being in nuclear security

Abstract

Sri Lanka's nuclear security concerns could be rising from three areas. First, Sri Lanka could be subject to third-party effects of the strategic conduct of nuclear states in the region during conflict escalation. Second, its unique geography renders it vulnerable to the risks emanating from the mismanagement and even smuggling of radioactive and nuclear materials. Third, its geographic proximity to India means that Sri Lanka is susceptible to any spillover effects from accidents at nuclear facilities in southern India. The objective of this research is to study the existing security implications of these three areas. The research will use regional security complex theory to understand and interpret the primary and secondary data pertaining to the Sri Lankan case. The general trend in nuclear research in South Asia is to study the civil and strategic nuclear domains separately. However, the researcher will have a holistic view on both strategic and civil spheres of nuclear domains in South Asia since he argues that these two areas are in a complex web of relations which make them mutually reinforcing. The paper also argues that the nuclear and radiological security concerns have not been given adequate emphasis by researchers and policy makers in Sri Lanka. The paper also brings out the possible reasons for such underplay.