Secretary of the Ministry of Digital Economy Mr. Waruna Sri Dhanapala has observed that maritime security and the digital economy should no longer be treated as separate policy areas, but as interconnected components of national stability, economic resilience and technological sovereignty.

He made this observation when he delivered the keynote address at ‘RCSS Strategic Dialogue -6’ on the theme ‘Navigating the Digital and Maritime Nexus: Technology, Sovereignty, and Security’ and held at the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS) on

8 September 2026.The dialogue was a sequel to the recently completed RCSS Policy Study “Non-Traditional Security in the Bay of Bengal: Maritime Threats, Corrective Measures, and Technological Innovations’, which highlighted emerging non-traditional maritime security challenges and the role of emerging technologies. The Dialogue provided an opportunity to extend this work through a broader cross-sectoral discussion on maritime security and technological capabilities.

Secretary Dhanapala who observed that the digital economy remains anchored in the physical world and for island and coastal states that the physical environment is overwhelmingly maritime, highlighted several areas where Sri Lanka's maritime and technological interests intersect.

These included seabed resources, offshore energy, shipbuilding and repair, and submarine communications infrastructure. He stressed the importance of developing domestic technological capabilities while engaging international partners in ways that protect national interests and environmental safeguards. In his capacity as Chairman of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL), he also emphasized the strategic importance of submarine fibre-optic cables to Sri Lanka's digital economy and called for their protection and monitoring to be incorporated into the country's maritime security framework. He further underscored the importance of technology in addressing environmental security challenges, including maritime pollution and oil spills.

Also recalling his diplomatic role in the UN system being the Vice Chair for the UN General Assembly Committee on Economic Finance as well as a contributor for the formation of Sustainable Development Goals, stressed the importance of active collaboration of coastal and island states in the wake of the unprecedented climate scenarios. He also acknowledged the important roles played by former Permanent Representatives to the UN in New York - Ambassador Shirley Hamilton Amarasinghe and Dr. Palitha Kohona for their remarkable contribution to the international maritime laws in the adoption of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) respectively.

Chaired by Executive Director of RCSS, Ambassador (Retd.) Ravinatha Aryasinha, and featuring a presentation by RCSS Research/Programme Officer Mr. Shayan Peris, it brought together serving and retired senior public officials, diplomats, members of the security forces, academics, researchers, technology and maritime practitioners, civil society representatives and other stakeholders to examine the changing technological dimensions of maritime security and their implications for Sri Lanka.

At the outset, Ambassador Aryasinha welcoming Acting Ambassador of Nepal to Sri Lanka, Mr. Vijay Kumar Raut, noted the difficult circumstances under which he participated in the dialogue following the recent flood-related tragedy in Nepal. Participants observed a one-minute silence in remembrance of those who lost their lives. Ambassador Raut subsequently briefed participants on the situation in Nepal, including the loss of life, displacement and ongoing rescue and recovery efforts, while noting the wider regional implications of environmental and climatic developments in the Himalayan region for countries including Sri Lanka and Maldives.

Country Representative of The Asia Foundation, Mr. Johann Rebert, reaffirmed TAF's support for RCSS's work on maritime security and technology. He highlighted the importance of translating research and policy dialogue into practical action, including through engagement with coastal communities.

In his presentation, Mr. Shayan Peris examined how emerging technologies are simultaneously strengthening maritime security capabilities while creating new vulnerabilities and dependencies. He highlighted the evolution of Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) from conventional vessel tracking towards the integration of AIS, radar, satellite imagery and artificial intelligence to identify anomalous activity and support more targeted responses. He also examined the growing convergence between maritime and digital security, including risks to ports and other critical infrastructure arising from cyber vulnerabilities, the resilience of submarine cable networks, and the expanding use of unmanned and autonomous systems for surveillance, fisheries monitoring, pollution response and search and rescue. Mr. Peris emphasized that for resource-constrained states such as Sri Lanka, the central challenge is not simply acquiring more advanced technologies, but developing the institutional capacity to integrate information, retain expertise and act upon it. He noted that technological resilience therefore depends on operational cyber security, resilient connectivity, effective information-sharing and appropriate governance frameworks for artificial intelligence and autonomous systems.

An open discussion followed which considered the practical challenges of translating technological systems into effective maritime security capabilities. Participants highlighted gaps in the sustainability of surveillance and information-sharing systems, the high cost of some externally provided platforms, and the difficulty of retaining trained personnel and institutional knowledge within agencies. Further examined were the opportunities and limitations of regional cooperation and information-sharing, particularly in addressing transnational maritime threats, as well as the need to balance sophisticated technological solutions with affordable and locally appropriate approaches. Participants also considered the role of the private sector, technology transfer, maritime industries and capacity building in strengthening Sri Lanka's position as an Indian Ocean maritime hub. The discussion highlighted the importance of bringing together perspectives from government, maritime agencies, technology, academia, industry and civil society in addressing emerging maritime security challenges. He noted that the issues raised during the dialogue would be reflected in RCSS’s continuing work on the subject, providing a basis for further research and policy engagement.