Saturday Jul 04, 2026
Saturday Jul 04, 2026
Thursday, 28 May 2026 05:43 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
From right: Panellists former Chief Hydrographer and maritime analyst Rear Admiral (Retd.) Y.N. Jayarathna, University of Colombo Department of International Relations Head Dr. Pavithra Jayawardena, and former Sri Lanka Navy Commander Admiral (Retd.) Jayanath Colombage in conversation with author Dr. Bhagya Senaratne
Author Dr. Bhagya Senaratne (left) presenting a copy of the book to University of Colombo International Relations Emeritus Prof. Amal Jayawardena
DR. Bhagya Senaratne launched her book From Friendship to Dependency: Analysing Sri Lanka’s Foreign Policymaking Towards China at a recent event held at the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies, Colombo.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Senaratne mentioned that her book examines why Sri Lanka’s relations with China have been criticised for financial over-reliance and allegations of a ‘debt trap.’ She argues that these relations are deeply influenced by domestic political dynamics, including the roles of state leaders, foreign policy executives, and strategic culture.
The event also included a panel discussion, attended by former Commander of Sri Lanka Navy, Foreign Secretary and Ambassador of Sri Lanka Admiral Jayanath Colombage, Head of the Department of International Relations, University of Colombo Dr. Pavithra Jayawardena and former Chief Hydrographer and Maritime Analyst Rear Admiral Y.N. Jayarathna.
Admiral Colombage said: “This publications sheds light on Sri Lanka’s locational importance and about the support Sri Lanka received at times when it was isolated in the international arena.”
In her remarks, Dr. Jayawardena said: “This book is important in four key ways: it is rich in data compilations, offers a vast amount of ideas for future research prospects, is theoretically very rich as it focuses on Neoclassical Realism, and presents an alternative narrative, challenging dominant world views.”
“Understanding our history is very important for decision making. This publication is a testament to why appreciating the past leads to better policymaking,” stated Admiral Jayarathna.
Dr. Senaratne’s book uses Neoclassical Realism to grant agency to the decision-making processes adopted by Sri Lankan bureaucrats, shifting the focus away from the PRC’s positionality.
Dr. Senaratne is an independent scholar. She was the first Director of Education at the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies, the inaugural BRI Postdoctoral Fellow of Global Asia at the Center for Global Asia, New York University Shanghai, China, and a Senior Lecturer at General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Sri Lanka. She co-edited Pakistan-Sri Lanka Relations: A Story of Friendship (2017) and Sri Lanka’s Post-Independence Defence Policy: Past, Present and Future Projections (2023). She completed her PhD in International Relations from the University of Colombo.
The book launch was attended by the diplomatic corps, academics, retired diplomats, students and well-wishers.
