Srilanka, Feb. 13 -- Emerging threats in maritime waters have posed significant challenges to the land-locked as well as littoral states such as Sri Lanka. The smuggling of narcotics, firearms, human and wildlife trafficking, climate change, unmanned weapons and autonomous drones have been identified as some of the emerging threats that hinder maritime security. As a country that fought a thirty-year ethnic conflict, the need to improve its strength in the naval forces had been obvious. But in the post-war context, Sri Lanka is facing an even bigger challenge with its strategic positioning in the Indian Ocean.

Historical texts indicate how Sri Lanka was once recognised as an important maritime destination, bringing traders from the Ara...