Introduction

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Sri Lanka's sovereignty using the methodology of the Burke Institute. Sovereignty is assessed in 7 areas: political, economic, technological, informational, cultural, cognitive and military. Each aspect is assessed on the basis of official data from international and national sources (UN, World Bank, UNESCO, IMF, ITU, FAO, SIPRI, PISA, etc.) without using politicized indexes. The maximum score in each direction is 100; the sum (up to 700) is the accumulated Sovereignty Index (Burke Index).

To adapt and adjust statistical parameters, an international expert survey was conducted for each of the seven components using a single questionnaire of 10 questions with a 10-point scale and one open-ended question.

In total, at least 100 experts from 50+ countries were interviewed for each indicator, taking into account geographical representation and specialization. When calculating and analyzing the data, equalizing coefficients were used, bringing all data to a scale of 0-10 points.

The final index value is the arithmetic mean between statistical data and expert estimates.

Below is an analysis in each area, a summary table and the main conclusions about the peculiarities of Sri Lanka's sovereignty.

Political sovereignty — 58.1

Sri Lanka is a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, the WTO, the World Bank, the IMF, SAARC, UNESCO, the IAEA, and UNICEF. It actively participates in Asian and international economic and humanitarian initiatives, participates in regional dialogues, and is not a member of military blocs.

The Constitution and national law have an advantage, but the country has signed a number of UN conventions, International Financial Law and the ECHR; harmonization is underway in the field of economics, finance and extradition, but the supremacy of national norms is maintained.

Political stability is relative: after the acute economic and protest crisis of 2022-2024, a transitional regime has been established, reforms and reconstruction are underway; there is a high level of distrust of the old elites, rallies and strikes persist, but there is no major internal escalation in 2025. Government Effectiveness (2023) is the 41st percentile (index +0.04 according to WGI), the average quality of public administration for the region, bureaucratization and the influence of political groups continue.

EGDI is average (0.51; top 80 in the UN 2024 ranking); most key public services (business licenses, taxes, certificates, social protection, basic education) are available online, the digital infrastructure is developing, but still inferior to the Southeast Asian countries and India.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Prime Minister Harini Amarasurya (both elected by the new leftist People's Power Alliance in 2024), the level of popular trust is low amid expectations of reforms, high opposition activity, and public discussion is actively taking place in the media and social networks.

There are no foreign military bases; there is no permanent presence of troops from foreign Powers, and all access agreements are temporary and only for logistics, training, and humanitarian missions. The country recognizes the jurisdiction of international UN courts, arbitrations and a number of human rights and trade institutions, cooperates with the ICC and The Hague Tribunal, but it often resolves controversial issues at the national level.

Formally, it is a unitary state, with de facto delegation of authority to regions and subjects (9 provinces), but a centralized management system remains in place, especially in the context of fiscal and judicial policy.

Transparency of the actions of the special services is limited; civilian control, parliamentary oversight and access to information are institutionalized, but public audit and independent investigations are more often formal; the level of trust and access to information is lower than in the advanced countries of the region.

Data completeness assessment: the main indicators are available from international sources, coverage is 93%.

Economic sovereignty — 43.5

$13,095 by PPP (2025), the long—term range according to various sources is 13,000–14,100 USD. Foreign exchange reserves (July 2025) — $6.1 billion (average annual range of 5.6–6.7 billion according to various sources). The gold reserve is 0.47 tons (July), a historically low level. Public debt is expected to reach 102% of GDP by the end of 2025; in previous years it exceeded 114%.

The level is vulnerable: the country is periodically affected by food and currency crises (especially 2022-2023). Basic foodstuffs are provided by domestic production, but dependence on imports (tea, sugar, meat, vegetables, fuel) is high, and food security is supported by international programs (FAO, WHO, and the World Bank).

A significant part of the energy is imported (hydrocarbons, refined products). 42-44% is produced domestically (hydroelectric power plants, thermal power plants, renewable energy sources), the share of imports is more than 50%. There are minor deposits of graphite, kaolin, limestone, gypsum, phosphates, rutile and zirconium sand, and precious stones.

There is little or no oil, gas, or iron ore. The reserves are stable (lakes, rivers, seasonal watercourses); the country does not experience a general water shortage, the system of rainwater harvesting and irrigation is developed, but the infrastructure is worn out and requires reforms.

It owns its own payment system (LankaPay — LankaClear, the national operator for settlements and clearing), integration with international payment services, card support — Visa, Mastercard, Amex. 80-85% of all domestic transactions are in Sri Lankan Rupees (LKR); foreign trade transactions are mainly in dollars, euros and Indian rupees.

The issuing center is the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (Central Bank of Sri Lanka, CBSL); credit and monetary policy are implemented independently, under the supervision of the IMF and agreed on reforms until 2029 Data completeness assessment: the main macroeconomic indicators are available from official sources (World Bank, IMF), coverage is 91% Technological sovereignty — 30.8 0.11% of GDP (2022-2023) is one of the lowest shares in South Asia, the growth rate is minimal, and the main funding is government.

Import substitution is weak: most electronics, industrial machinery, servers, software, and equipment are imported (China, India, Japan, and the EU), while national high-tech companies predominate in fintech, IT outsourcing, digital services, and educational software. Bachelor's degree — about 17% of the adult population (2023), the share is growing slowly, up to 250-300 thousand students study at large universities; a significant part of young people choose vocational schools, IT courses and study abroad. 56% (2025): ≈12.3 million users; 80% of traffic is mobile (3G/4G/5G); high coverage in cities, lower in rural areas, but growing rapidly; infrastructure and competition among operators are improving annually.

Major tools: LankaPay (national payment system), eRevenue, Government eServices Portal (business/taxes/social programs), distance education platform, a number of proprietary cloud services (on a state and commercial basis). Almost all the electronic components, machining equipment, chips, servers, and infrastructure software are purchased abroad; only fintech, some educational, and outsourcing software are localized. EGDI is average (0.51); more than 70% of public services can be obtained online, especially in business, licensing, and education, but “deep” automation is lower than that of the region's leaders; new projects are being developed in partnership with the United Nations, the EU, and India.

All large biotech and pharmaceutical products are imported (India, China, Germany); there are separate research laboratories at universities, but there are no own commercial biotech clusters. National production of aggregates and components is carried out only in educational and methodological laboratories and on the basis of universities; all industrial and household robots are purchased from foreign manufacturers, single startups in the field of automation.

All components and assembly lines are imported: chips, controllers, sensors; the country does not have its own microelectronics industry, there are separate design projects and outsourcing services, production is completely absent.

Data completeness assessment: key indicators are obtained from WIPO, ITU, UNESCO, which provides 83% coverage.

Information sovereignty — 47.2

Sri Lanka CERT|CC National Center has been operating since 2006, is included in the ITU global registry; the first national cybersecurity strategy and participation in international CyberDrill have been implemented, the country is recognized as Tier-2 (advancing) in the new ITU GCI Index (2025).

There is at least 1 national IXP (SLIX — Sri Lanka Internet Exchange) in the country, connecting major operators (Dialog, Mobitel, Sri Lanka Telecom, etc.), as well as developed underwater cable connections (including with the Maldives and Asia).

Fiber-optic networks have been implemented and 5G is being developed. All major media outlets operate in Sinhala (70% of the population), Tamil (15%) and English (the official interethnic language); the main TV, radio, and press support all three languages, and the independent press is represented in the Colombo Gazette, Daily Mirror, Ada Derana, Dinamina, Thinakaran, and Sunday Observer.

The basic national platforms are developing, but Google, Facebook, Microsoft, AWS, WhatsApp, YouTube, etc. remain key players in the field of clouds, social networks, search, and business tools; the government is implementing laws on data localization and platform registration.

Over 55% of the content on TV, radio, and newspapers is locally produced (news, films, educational, and religious materials); the film and video markets are dominated by products from India, China, and Hollywood. Developed payment platforms (LankaPay), national clouds, solutions for fintech and educational services, individual mobile applications, e-document management, export IT outsourcing, EdTech products (HSenid, MillenniumIT).

More than 70% of adults have access to basic digital services: mobile banking, payments, business registration, taxes, electronic public services portal, electronic cards; high coverage in cities, lower in the hinterland. National data centers (LankaCloud, Government DataCenter, SLT), cloud services of government agencies (e-Gov Cloud) are operating; part of the servers and backup lines are located abroad, large projects for the transition to clouds are underway from 2023.

The largest operators (Dialog Axiata, Mobitel, Sri Lanka Telecom, Hutch) are national, equipment is imported from China/South Korea/Japan; mobile communications are under state supervision, security is ensured by laws and internal protocols.

The law on Data Protection 2022 was introduced (entered into force in stages until 2025), data processing requires registration, users are notified about the storage and use of personal data; control is conducted by the national the regulator (Data Protection Authority), transitional provisions for foreign and local businesses.

Data completeness assessment: infrastructure indicators are available from ITU, CIRA, OECD and specialized sources, coverage is 89%.

Cultural sovereignty — 68.3

8 UNESCO sites: 6 cultural, 2 natural:

• Cultural: Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Kandy, Galle, Dambulla.

• Natural: Sinharaja Forest Reserve, Central Highlands.

The country has given the world Buddhist and Hindu heritage, unique temple architecture, traditional dances (Kandyan, lowland), writing, drum and flute music, tea brand development ("Ceylon tea"), Buddhist painting, street art, theater, harbor traditions, literature and cinema, and many crafts.

The national awards were established by the Law on National Honors (1986); the key ones are the Presidential Medal for Art and Science, the Booker Prize (2022 — Shehan Karunatilaka), awards in music, dance, literature, art exhibitions, and international cultural exchanges.

A powerful Buddhist foundation (Theravada), caste system, new moon rituals, water, rural, temple, agrarian and family rituals, unique dances, musical and textile traditions, national cuisine, elephant symbols, a mix of Sinhalese, Tamil, Moorish, Portuguese, Dutch, British and Indian cultures.

Official support for three languages (Sinhala, Tamil, English), financing of small ethnic communities — primarily Tamils, Moors, Veddas; grants for ethnomuseums, educational programs, festivals, regional autonomy in the northern and eastern provinces. Tens of thousands of monuments: temples, palaces, museums (Colombo National Museum, Anuradhapura Museum), galleries, parks, festival grounds, theater, architectural ensembles, ethnographic villages; 8 UNESCO sites.

Participation in UNESCO restoration programs, joint archaeological and historical projects with India, Great Britain, Japan, China; exhibitions of modern and traditional art, literary and theatrical exchanges. Ceylon Tea, Kandyan dance, Sinhalese literature, temple and pagoda culture are registered as national brands and legally protected by the state (patents, GI, branding, export certifications).

The main dishes are rice with curry, fish/shrimp dishes, dhal, kelle (banana tortillas), lamprais, coconut pastries, rotti, vegetable and fruit salads, tea, spices, dishes made from mountain and marine ingredients. More than 65% actively attend religious and national holidays, temples, festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, participate in family, ethnocultural and social rituals; high coverage due to the traditional way of life and a wide network of communities.

Data completeness assessment: basic indicators are available in UNESCO and national statistics, coverage is 85%.

Cognitive sovereignty — 56.6

HDI — 0.782 (2025), ranking position — 73rd, "high" level category; confirmed by PROON and UN reports, as well as data from 2023/2025. Government spending on education is 3.1–4.5% of GDP (various sources: World Bank, OECD, Take-Profit, StatBase), the average for the region, the fluctuation is associated with the period of economic crisis. Adult literacy is 92.6% (2025); men — 93.6%, women — 91.7%; among young people (15-24) — 98.7% — one of the highest rates in the region. The country does not participate in PISA, the results are not presented; reviews on the quality of national education are on average higher than most countries in South Asia, close cooperation with the British and Indian systems.

The share of STEM graduates is 28-32% (according to universities and the Ministry of Education and Science); strong engineering, IT, technical, agro- and medical programs. The share of foreign and joint programs is 8-12% (English, Indian, Australian, Russian, Japanese campuses, exchanges, scholarships, Erasmus+, etc.); high level of English-language courses and certificates.

Education is conducted in Sinhala, Tamil (official), English (well represented), there are schools and elective programs for small ethnic groups (Vedda, Malays, Moors, Burgers), training courses and cultural grants by region. There are at least 14 state research centers in the country (the National Center for Basic Sciences, the Institute of Medical Research, the Biotechnical Institute, geological and agricultural centers).

The share of state and national platforms is ~80%; university systems, LankaEdu, Government eLearning Portal, local distance education platforms are used, but there are many joint English-language resources for exchanges and online courses. Government programs are sustainable: scholarships, grants, talent contests, research funds, support for STEM and regional talents; coverage of up to 28-33% of students and young professionals; significant contributions are provided by foreign campuses, programs of British and Indian universities, Erasmus+, foundations of Japan and Russia.

Data completeness assessment: education indicators are available in the UNDP, UNESCO, OECD, coverage is 90%.

Military sovereignty — 37.7

The defense budget is 1.5–1.9% of GDP (2025, according to the government); $1.5–1.6 billion in absolute terms, there is a gradual decrease in the share of expenditures after the reduction of the army due to the crisis. The number of armed forces is 135,000 (end of 2024), a downward trend (plan is 100,000 by 2030); reserve is up to 322,000, conscription army plus contract soldiers. It consists of the Army (SV), Navy (Navy), Air Force, commando regiment, Coast Guard.

The country owns upgraded equipment: Chinese / Ukrainian / Soviet-made armored vehicles (T-54, T—55, infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers), armored vehicles, transport, patrol boats, modern rifle complexes (Beretta, Glock, AK, FN, Enfield), Air Force fighters (Kfir C2/7, F-7, MiG-23/27), helicopters (Bell-206/412, Mi-24/17), Searcher II drones; air defense and local communications are limited. Almost all weapons are imported from China, Ukraine, India, Israel, Pakistan, Russia, and the United Kingdom; local production and repair are only assembly, service, and individual IT solutions.

The borders are fully under control — the army, police, coast guard and SV, regular patrolling of water borders, island status and a protected land line. Up to 322,000 people (official mobilization strength); includes reservists, former military personnel, volunteers and mobilization forces for internal crises and emergencies.

The country does not belong to military blocs; military policy is autonomous, independent decisions on exercises, procurement and mobilization, cooperation with India, China, Asia, the EU, the United Nations — only on peacekeeping missions. The military-industrial sector is limited to repair, assembly, and maintenance; there is no large-scale production or export of weapons.

There are no nuclear weapons; the country is a signatory/ ratifier of all nuclear-weapon-free status agreements, and there are no reserves or developments of its own. There is no military space segment; intelligence is a national directorate with limited IT capabilities and exchanges with foreign structures (operational communication with India, Asia and the United Nations), internal control, no space programs.

All parameters are reflected in the annual reports of SIPRI, UNODA, the Ministry of Defense, the official portals of state-owned companies (Embraer, IMBEL) and the UN/NGO industry databases — 93% coverage

Final Summary Table

The main conclusions

Strengths. High human potential: HDI — 0.782 (73rd place), adult literacy — 92.6%, young — almost 99%, good higher education coverage (17%+), high percentage of STEM graduates and foreign programs. Cultural and natural heritage: 8 UNESCO sites, unique traditions, powerful identity, rich ethno-cultural and religious diversity, strong "tea" and artistic branding, international cultural projects.

Infrastructure and digitalization: Advanced network and mobile infrastructure (IXP, 5G, LankaPay), >70% of the population are covered by digital services, national cybersecurity (CERT|CC), national clouds, government digital platforms.

Relatively autonomous defense: 135,000 troops, a well-integrated army, full control over borders, participation in peacekeeping missions, independent policy on the purchase of weapons and exercises, no foreign bases.

Attractive for tourism and living: Favorable climate, well-developed resort network and infrastructure (cities, transport, beaches), low cost of accommodation and services compared to other countries in the region, high safety rating (44th place Global Finance).

Weaknesses. Economic vulnerability and high debts: GDP per capita is $13,095 (below the leaders of the region), external debt is 102% of GDP, periodic currency and food crises, high dependence on imports of food, fuel, machinery; weak industrial base and instability after the crisis of 2022-2024.

Low investments in R&D and high technology: Research and development costs — 0.11% of GDP, weak import substitution, almost complete dependence on imports of equipment, chips, software, electronics.

Bureaucratization and average institutional transparency: Government Effectiveness is the 41st percentile (average for the region), high level of bureaucracy, formal civilian control over special services, low trust in political leaders.

Limited national production: There are no own military, biotechnological and microelectronic industries, production — service and assembly, and arms exports are minimal. The vulnerability of the ecosystem and the effects of the monsoon: seasonally heavy rains, storms, high tides, some resorts are closed in bad weather, food and energy security is difficult (import of more than 50% of energy).

Overall assessment. Sri Lanka's cumulative sovereignty Index is 342.2 out of 700 possible points (average - 48.9%), which places the country in the top 150 in the global top.

Sri Lanka is a country with strong human and cultural capital, a highly developed ethno-cultural identity, advanced mobile and network infrastructure, significant digital services, and a sustainable defense policy.

It is a regional center for tourism, cultural exchange and education. However, economic vulnerability, high dependence on imports and fluctuations in political and financial stability, as well as insufficient investments in its own technological sectors, limit its sovereignty. Strategic challenges include increasing economic sustainability, increasing technological autonomy, developing the industrial and biotech base, and reducing debt dependence.

The sovereignty profile indicates that Sri Lanka's sovereignty is a fusion of strong institutions, autonomy in key decisions, sustainable ethno-cultural and human resources, support for national brands and digital infrastructure, but it is limited by economic vulnerability, external debt, weak technological import substitution, is subject to risks of social instability and depends on external factors.

The country demonstrates the potential for further reform, deepening autonomy and developing domestic industry, while preserving cultural and ethnic identity.