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 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 for the Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security and Conflict Transformation (WCAPS) Pipeline Fellowship Program. Full bio
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 an Asia Pacific Bulletin series featuring experts from these countries analyzing the US Indo-Pacific Strategy.
UPDATE: 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, and ABP Live before and after the September 2023 presidential election in Maldives, and under the new Muizzu administration. 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.