ORCA’s delegation comprising of Director Ms. Eerishika Pankaj, Director of ORCA Consultancy and Senior RA Mr. Rahul Karan Reddy, and Deputy Director and Senior RA Mr. Ratish Mehta undertook a series of institutional engagements in Colombo, Sri Lanka, with leading think tanks, universities, policy institutes and diplomatic stakeholders to exchange perspectives on regional geopolitical developments and explore avenues for future collaboration. Meetings were held with the Centre for a Smart Future (CSF), Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS), Faculty of International Relations at the University of Colombo, Centre for Contemporary Indian Studies (CCIS), Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute (LKI) and the Institute of National Security Studies (INSS).
The discussions focused on evolving India-China-Sri Lanka dynamics, maritime and regional security, development finance, public diplomacy, tourism connectivity and the strategic implications of infrastructure and technological engagements in Sri Lanka. Particular attention was given to Sri Lanka’s balancing of external partnerships amidst intensifying regional competition, as well as broader conversations on the Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific strategic environment.
The engagements also emphasized institutional cooperation through collaborative initiatives. ORCA additionally exchanged perspectives with regional stakeholders on the role of think tanks and academic institutions in promoting informed policy dialogue and strengthening regional research networks across South Asia.
