DR SITHARA FERNANDO

Short CV

Dr. Sithara Fernando has been the recipient of the Jawaharlal Nehru Scholarship for Doctoral Studies (2007-2009) awarded by the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund (JNMF) and the Kodikara Award for South Asian Strategic Studies (2010-2011) given by the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS), Colombo, Sri Lanka. He is also the recipient of the Symposium on East Asia Security (SEAS) Fellowship awarded by the United States Department of State/ Daniel K. Inouye – Asia Pacific Centre for Security Studies (DKI-APCSS), Hawaii, USA. He was a Visiting Scholar at the Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS), Delhi from November 2011 to September 2012. He is a Member of the RCSS and an Associate of the Indian Ocean Research Programme, Future Directions International (FDI), Perth, Australia. He has published a book titled China’s Maritime Relations with South Asia: From Confrontation to Cooperation (Lambert Academic Publishing, Saarbrucken, Germany, 2012) and an edited book titled United States-China-India Strategic Triangle in the Indian Ocean Region: Challenges and Opportunities (Knowledge World, New Delhi, 2015). He has also published two Occasional Papers titled China’s Relations with the Indian Ocean Region: Combining Realist and Constructivist Perspectives (ICS, Delhi, 2012) and China and the Cooperative Architecture in the South China Sea: Prospects and Problems (ICS, Delhi, 2013) respectively, a Policy Study titled Maritime Cooperation in South Asia (Manohar and RCSS, Delhi and Colombo, 2013), and peer reviewed articles in the journals China Report (New Delhi, 2010), Strategic Analysis (New Delhi, 2012), Insight on Africa (New Delhi, 2014), and Journal of Curriculum and Teaching (Toronto, 2017). His teaching areas are Strategic and Defence Studies, International Relations, Maritime Security and International Relations Theory. He has made presentations at the Daniel K. Inouye- Asia Pacific Centre for Security Studies (DKI-APCSS), KDU International Research Conferences (KDUIRCs), the Institute of Chinese Studies (Delhi), Delhi University, Manipur University (Imphal), and the Kadirgamar Institute. He has delivered guest lectures at the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) and the University of Kelaniya.

Educational Qualifications & Experience

BSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), University of London in 2000.
MA in Politics (Specializing in International Studies) from the School of International Studies (SIS), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in 2004.
MPhil in Chinese Studies from the Centre for East Asian Studies (CEAS), School of International Studies (SIS), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in 2006.
PhD in Chinese Studies from the Centre for East Asian Studies (CEAS), School of International Studies (SIS), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in 2011.
Visiting Scholar, Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS), Delhi, November 2011- September 2012.
Advanced Security Cooperation (ASC) Course at the Daniel K. Inouye – Asia Pacific Centre for Security Studies (DKI-APCSS), Hawaii, USA in 2014 and 2015.
Visiting Lecturer, Department of International Relations, University of Colombo, 2015 and 2016.
Certificate in Teaching in Higher Education (CTHE), General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, 2016.

Research & Teaching Interests

Strategic and Defence Studies
International Relations
Maritime Security
International Relations Theory

Research Publications

Books/ Monographs:

Book Chapters:

(2017), ‘The Geopolitics of Sri Lanka-Pakistan Relations: A Sri Lankan Perspective’, in Lieutenant Colonel Muhammad Imran and Bhagya Senaratne, eds., Pakistan-Sri Lanka Relations: A Story of Friendship, Institute for Strategic Studies, Research and Analysis (ISSRA), National Defence University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
(2016), ‘Perspectives sri-lankaises sur la construction regionale et regards sur l’Organisation de cooperation de Shanghai’, in Pierre Chabal, ed., L’Organisation de cooperation de Shanghai et la construction de Shanghai et la construction de la << nouvelle Asie >>, P.I.E. Peter Lang, Brussels.
(2015), ‘US-China-India Triangular Relations in the Indian Ocean Region: Combining Power Balancing with a Cooperative Approach’, in Sithara Fernando, ed., United States-China-India Strategic Triangle in the Indian Ocean Region, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU), Sri Lanka in association with Knowledge World Publishers, New Delhi.
(2015), ‘Conclusion’, in Sithara Fernando, ed., United States-China-India Strategic Triangle in the Indian Ocean Region, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU), Sri Lanka in association with Knowledge World Publishers, New Delhi.
(2012), ‘Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region: Towards the Co-existence of IOMAC and IOR-ARC’, in Indian Ocean: A Sea of Uncertainty, West Perth, Australia: Future Directions International.

Refereed Journal Articles:

Conference Reports:

(2007), ‘The Sixth Academic Trilateral China-India-Russia Conference, 2-4 November 2006, New Delhi: A Report’, China Report (Delhi), 43: 2 (co-authored with Alka Acharya).
(2006a), The Lakshman Kadirgamar Memorial Conference on India-China Relations, Colombo: BCIS.
(2006b), China-South Asia Relations, Colombo: BCIS.
(2006c), BCIS-NESA Bilateral Symposium, Colombo: BCIS.

Book Reviews:

Newspaper Articles:

(2013), ‘The Galle Dialogues, Maritime Security Knowledge Base’, Daily News, 23 November.
(2013), ‘The Galle Dialogues: Contributions to National and Regional Maritime Security’, Daily Mirror, 22 November.

Other Publications:

Fernando, Sithara (2020), (editor), Comprehensive Maritime Security in the Indian Ocean Region: Challenges and Opportunities, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Sri Lanka and Knowledge World (KW) Publishers, New Delhi.
(2015), ‘China-Africa Political and Security Relations: An Analysis of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Documents’, Proceedings (Defence and Strategic Studies), KDU International Research Conference 2015, Inculcating Professionalism for National Development, Ratmalana, Sri Lanka.
(2015), ‘India’s Strategic Vision and Sri Lanka’s National Security: Looking Out Ten Years’, Associate Paper, 1 October 2015, Future Directions International (FDI), Perth, Australia.
(2015), ‘The Galle Dialogue and Maritime Security Cooperation: Present Status and Future Possibilities’, Proceedings (Defence), KDU International Research Conference 2014, Expanding Development Horizons through Education, Research and Innovation, Ratmalana, Sri Lanka.
(2014), ‘The Contribution of the Galle Dialogue to Maritime Security Cooperation: Present Status and Future Possibilities’, Alumni Perspectives, Asia-Pacific Centre for Security Studies (APCSS), Hawaii, USA, May 2014.
(2014), ‘Regional Organizations in the Indian Ocean Region: Possibilities of Collaboration between IOMAC and IOR-ARC’, in the Proceedings of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University International Research Symposium 2013, Sri Lanka as a Hub in Asia: The Way Forward, Ratmalana, Sri Lanka.
(2013) (peer reviewed), ‘China and the Cooperative Architecture in the South China Sea: Prospects and Problems’, Occasional Paper No. 5, August, Institute of Chinese Studies, Delhi, India.
(2012), ‘China’s Relations with the Indian Ocean Region: Combining Realist and Constructivist Perspectives’, Occasional Paper No. 2, October, Institute of Chinese Studies, Delhi, India.
(2011), ‘Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region: Towards the Co-existence of IOMAC and IOR-ARC’, Associate Paper, 7 June 2011, Future Directions International (FDI), Perth, Australia.
(2010a), ‘China’s Maritime Relations with South Asia: From Confrontation to Cooperation (Part One)’, Strategic Analysis Paper, 24 November 2010, Future Directions International (FDI), Perth, Australia.
(2010b), ‘China’s Maritime Relations with South Asia: From Confrontation to Cooperation (Part Two)’, Strategic Analysis Paper, 26 November 2010, Future Directions International (FDI), Perth, Australia.
(2007), ‘Chronology of China-Africa Relations’, China Report (Delhi), 43: 3.
(2006a), ‘Sri Lanka’s Electricity Sector: Past, Present and Future’, ORF Energy News Monitor (Delhi), September 2006.
(2006b), ‘The Petroleum Sector in Sri Lanka and its Quest for Off-Shore Oil Deposits’, ORF Energy News Monitor (Delhi), November 2006.
(2005a), ‘Nuclear Power: China and India on the Fast Track’, ORF Energy News Monitor (Delhi), May 2005.
(2005b), ‘India, China and Russia: The New Axis of Oil?’, ORF Energy News Monitor (Delhi), July 2005.