Sri Lanka's emerging leaders face the complex task of addressing domestic challenges amidst rising international pressure from U.S.-China competition. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, elected in September 2024 on a reform platform, and his National People’s Power (NPP) government are becoming unpopular due to renewed shortages and corruption scandals, threatening a return to street protests similar to the 2022 Aragalaya movement.
Despite the NPP's attempts at nonalignment, its foreign policy has closely aligned with India, exemplified by President Dissanayake's first state visit to New Delhi and the signing of seven agreements during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s early 2025 visit. India is actively exerting pressure to limit Chinese influence. The ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran has also tested Sri Lanka's nonalignment, leading to crude oil and LNG access issues and the rescue of Iranian naval crew, with Sri Lanka defending its neutral stance based on international law and humanitarian grounds. The country's political landscape, historically dominated by a few families, is seeing a shift towards disruptors appealing to urban, younger, and politically aware voters, focusing on principles and accountability over personality.
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