SECURITY DIMENSIONS OF SETHU SAMUDRAM SHIP CANAL PROJECT AND UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE LAW OF SEA: INDIA–SRI LANKA CONTEXT

Sandya N. Gunasekara

Abstract


The proposed flagship project of Sethu Samuduram Ship Canal by the Indian Government will create an unavoidable by-pass that would inevitably divert the sea traffic through India's own maritime waters and would give India a firm grip on one of the world's most strategic and busiest sea-lanes. The Sethu Samuduram Ship Canal project has negative implications for neighbouring Sri Lanka, including concerns over environmental, political, military, economic and livelihood issues. In order to understand the threat perspective to the neighbouring states of India in particular Sri Lanka, the study takes Barry Buzan’s security dimensions analysis and the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea-1982. Buzan’s analysis will help to classify five security sectors under threat due to massive dredging of the canal in the Indian water. The study concludes by recommending the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea-1982 and its main clauses as a feasible instrument in establishing long term understanding and awareness on the issues pertaining between India and Sri Lanka on the proposed ship canal project.


Keywords


India-Sri Lanka Relations, Maritime Waters, Security, Sethu Samuduram Ship Canal, State, Threats.

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References


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