## 📈 Sri Lanka: Leveraging "Strategic Autonomy" for Regional Stability

Sri Lanka is positioning itself as a neutral hub and the "Singapore of South Asia," balancing ties with global powers to attract FDI and drive economic recovery. This status was recently tested and reaffirmed by the broad international response to Cyclone Ditwah ($4 Bn estimated damage). • Strategic Neutrality & Policy: The government maintains a "Strategic Autonomy" stance, hosting competing interests like the Chinese-run CICT and the US-funded West Container Terminal (Adani/DFC). Foreign policy avoids military alliances, prioritizing "India First" while engaging China, the US, EU, and Japan. • International Aid Highlights (Provisional): Following the late 2025 cyclone, Sri Lanka secured multi-bloc support, demonstrating its role as a neutral ground: India: Largest partner with $450 Mn reconstruction package, $350 Mn in loans, and $100 Mn in grants. USA: $2 Mn initial emergency grant focused on WASH and shelter in Northern and Eastern regions. China: Total of $2.5 Mn+ in direct aid, including a $1 Mn cash grant and RMB 10 Mn in emergency supplies. UAE: Established an "Air Bridge" delivering 116+ tonnes of relief via 8 aircraft. Maldives: Significant sovereign donor, contributing $2.4 Mn through grants and public telethons. • Economic Outlook & MICE: The state is aggressively marketing Colombo as a hub for MICE tourism (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) to bridge the gap between Singapore and Dubai. Leadership roles in IORA and BIMSTEC are being used to promote the Indian Ocean as a "Zone of Peace," aiming to transform humanitarian goodwill into long-term investment.