By Ifham Nizam
Sri Lanka must turn its strategic position in the Indian Ocean into economic freedom, investment opportunities and greater diplomatic influence while safeguarding its sovereignty, Professor Patrick Mendis told The Island Financial Review following a conference in Stockholm.
The Sri Lankan-born American scholar-diplomat said the Mahaweli Doctrine offered a framework for navigating intensifying major-power competition while ensuring international partnerships strengthened Sri Lanka’s ability to determine its own economic and political future.
‘Sri Lanka must learn to turn its strategic location in the Indian Ocean into economic freedom and national prosperity.
‘Our relationships with China, India, the United States and other global partners must serve Sri Lanka’s national interests. The Mahaweli Doctrine is about building international connectivity without compromising our sovereignty, because our ultimate responsibility is to the people of Sri Lanka and future generations, he said.
‘For a country seeking economic recovery and national renewal, the challenge is not merely attracting foreign investment or maintaining cordial relations with powerful nations. Sri Lanka must build the institutional strength, policy consistency and diplomatic independence needed to ensure international engagement delivers lasting benefits, he explained.
Drawing on his experience in American government, Chinese academia and international organisations, Prof. Mendis argues that Sri Lanka must move beyond viewing geography as an advantage in itself and develop the capacity to convert it into sustainable prosperity.
His Mahaweli Doctrine draws inspiration from the river that has shaped Sri Lanka’s agricultural civilisation. Just as the Mahaweli connects communities and sustains livelihoods, foreign policy should connect the country with markets, investment, technology and knowledge while protecting national interests.
The principle is that international relationships must serve broad development objectives rather than narrow private or political interests.
Sri Lanka’s location along major Indian Ocean shipping routes has long attracted powerful nations. Its ports, maritime infrastructure and potential as a regional commercial hub offer opportunities to expand trade, attract investment and strengthen links with global markets.
Yet the Mahaweli Doctrine distinguishes between possessing a strategic advantage and having the institutional capacity to benefit from it.
Foreign investment can support infrastructure, employment and technological development, but its value depends on investment terms, governance and the ability to integrate external resources into the domestic economy.
Chinese involvement in projects such as Hambantota Port and Colombo Port City illustrates both the opportunities created by international capital and the strategic considerations accompanying large-scale development.
The challenge is to maximise their commercial value while protecting economic stability, national security and independent policymaking.
For businesses and investors, policy predictability is equally important. A strategic location may attract initial interest, but sustained investment depends on confidence in regulations, institutions, infrastructure and the wider economic environment.
Sri Lanka must therefore link foreign policy to a clear domestic economic strategy, ensuring partnerships contribute to exports, employment, local enterprise and technology transfer.
Born in Polonnaruwa, Prof. Mendis represented Sri Lanka as its first Youth Ambassador to the United Nations before pursuing a career in diplomacy, public service, international development and academia.
He has worked with the United Nations Secretariat and World Bank and served in the US government under six presidents. A former adviser at the US Department of Defense and military professor for NATO and the US Indo-Pacific Command, he has engaged with the security considerations shaping Washington’s approach to Asia.
A Harvard alumnus, he is also Distinguished Visiting Professor of Transatlantic Relations at the University of Warsaw.