Nilanthi Samaranayake
Nilanthi Samaranayake is a security analyst, author, and speaker based in Washington DC, with expertise on the Indian Ocean, South Asia, and US alliances and partnerships. Her research focuses on US strategy toward the Indian Ocean, the Indian Navy, small states in great-power rivalry, and non-traditional security. She has authored numerous reports, chapters, and articles on these topics. She speaks regularly at research and government institutions and is interviewed by media outlets worldwide.
Samaranayake is a Visiting Expert at the US Institute of Peace and an Adjunct Fellow at the East-West Center in Washington. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor for the Near East South Asia (NESA) Center for Strategic Studies in Washington DC. She previously was Director of CNA's Strategy and Policy Analysis Program, where she led a team of analysts who conduct multidisciplinary research for civilian and military leaders. Samaranayake holds an MSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a BA in International Studies from American University in Washington DC. She is a member of the International Research Committee for the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies in Colombo, a member of South Asia Journal's Editorial Advisory Board, and an international adviser to Seychelles Research Journal. Samaranayake also is a mentor to emerging professionals in the field. Full bio
Smaller South Asian Countries - Media
In December 2024, I was quoted in The Washington Post on asymmetric power relationships between India and Smaller South Asian (SSA) countries, including repercussions for SSA political leaders and public opinion.
Indian Ocean Security - Media
BBC News Washington's Sumi Somaskanda interviewed me on October 3, 2024 about the historic Mauritius-UK agreement on the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean. I discussed the implications for US basing interests in Diego Garcia, strategic competition with China, and Chagossians.
Indian Ocean Security - Analysis
Read my October 2024 analysis for the East-West Center in Washington on developments that suggest Washington is increasingly recognizing the importance of the western Indian Ocean and is taking action at the levels of strategy and policy, diplomacy, and military operations.
I served as Guest Editor for a special Asia Pacific Bulletin series featuring scholars from Madagascar, Seychelles, Maldives, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Thailand who examine their countries’ outlooks toward Indian Ocean security and the US Indo-Pacific Strategy.
Watch my framing remarks for the November 2024 webinar with authors.
My December 2024 responses to the Stimson Center's South Asian Voices Q&A with experts provide additional thoughts on the US approach toward the Indian Ocean and other regional dynamics.
Smaller South Asian Countries - Media
Watch my September 2024 interview by Biswas Baral, Editor of The Kathmandu Post, for the "Idea of Nepal" series in Kantipur Studios in Kathmandu. Episode 12: "Nepal, Bangladesh and South Asia | Idea of Nepal with Nilanthi Samaranayake."
Indian Ocean Security - Media
Read my December 2023 comments in The Daily Telegraph after the attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. Even as strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific increases, nations still have a shared interest in the safety of Indian Ocean sealanes. This is a key enabler of stability in the Indian Ocean theater to recall when viewing the wider Indo-Pacific region and a reminder of the ongoing importance of security in the western Indian Ocean.
For deeper context, I also provided comments about the evolution of US security strategy toward the Indian Ocean over the past decade for the Stimson Center's expert reflections on the tenth anniversary of South Asian Voices.
Indian Ocean Security - Congressional Testimony
Watch my April 2023 oral testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee Indo-Pacific Subcommittee hearing on "Surrounding the Ocean: PRC Influence in the Indian Ocean."
Read my written testimony in which I identify three US objectives in the Indian Ocean, plus several enablers of stability and constraints on China in the Indian Ocean.
Smaller South Asian Countries - Analysis
Read my May 2023 analysis for the East-West Center on the Smaller South Asian Countries and the US Indo-Pacific Strategy at One Year. I am writing a book that examines Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka as Smaller South Asian states that navigate regional and great power rivalries.
I served as Guest Editor for a special Asia Pacific Bulletin series featuring experts from these countries analyzing the US Indo-Pacific Strategy.
Watch my framing remarks for the January 2024 event with authors.
Maldives - Media
See my comments in Nikkei Asia (3, 4), South China Morning Post (5), and ABP Live before and after the September 2023 presidential election in Maldives, and under the Muizzu administration into 2025. I discuss Maldives' relationships with India, China, and the United States as the smaller state navigates strategic competition.
Read my January 2024 and December 2023 Q&As for the US Institute of Peace about Maldives' President Muizzu and his approaches to India, China, and the US.