By Krishna Dua 
Sri Lanka’s “Sagar Bhandu” Operation Tightens Coastal Security
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — In a decisive move to fortify the island nation’s vulnerable maritime frontiers amid rising threats from smuggling syndicates, human trafficking rings, and sporadic incursions by foreign fishing trawlers, Sri Lanka launched Operation Sagar Bhandu on Saturday, a comprehensive coastal security initiative designed to enhance surveillance, patrol capabilities, and community engagement along its 1,340-kilometer coastline. Announced by President Ranil Wickremesinghe during a high-level briefing at the Navy headquarters in Welisara, the operation—named after the Sinhala phrase meaning “Friend of the Ocean”—deploys 5,000 personnel from the Sri Lanka Navy, Coast Guard, and Special Boat Squadron, backed by 50 new patrol vessels and AI-driven radar systems, to safeguard economic exclusive zones (EEZs) and deter illegal activities that have cost the economy over LKR 50 billion (approximately $160 million) annually in lost revenue.
The launch comes at a critical juncture for Sri Lanka, whose coastal waters—rich in tuna, mackerel, and yellowfin stocks supporting 2.5 million livelihoods—have become a hotbed for illicit operations since the 2022 economic crisis weakened enforcement. Wickremesinghe, addressing a gathering of naval officers and fisherfolk leaders, emphasized the operation’s dual focus on security and sustainability: “Sagar Bhandu is not just about patrolling the seas; it’s about protecting our people’s future—our oceans are our lifeline, and we will defend them with the same resolve that rebuilt our nation from ashes.” Navy Commander Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera, overseeing the rollout, detailed the operation’s phases: an initial 90-day intensive patrol in high-risk areas like Mannar, Jaffna, and Hambantota, followed by community radar networks and joint exercises with India under the 2024 maritime cooperation pact.
The initiative, budgeted at LKR 20 billion (Rs 4,500 crore) for the first year, incorporates cutting-edge technology: 20 coastal surveillance radars donated by Japan, drone swarms for 24/7 monitoring, and a new EEZ command center in Colombo linked to the Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre in Gurugram. Perera highlighted the human element: “Our fishermen are our first line of defense—Sagar Bhandu trains 10,000 of them as coastal sentinels, equipping boats with VHF radios and distress beacons.” Early indicators are encouraging: within 48 hours of launch, patrols intercepted three Indian trawlers poaching in northern waters, seizing 5 tons of undersized fish and issuing warnings under the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act.
Sagar Bhandu’s genesis traces to the 2024 Maritime Security Review, commissioned after a spate of 150 illegal fishing incidents and 50 smuggling busts that flooded markets with narcotics worth LKR 10 billion. Wickremesinghe, whose government has prioritized economic revival post the 2022 default, views the operation as a multiplier for blue economy growth: “Secure seas mean sustainable fisheries—boosting exports by 20% and creating 50,000 jobs in coastal communities.” International partners have rallied: India’s Operation Sankalp, which provided 10 fast-attack craft in 2023, expanded to joint drills in November 2025, while the U.S. Pacific Partnership donated $10 million for radar upgrades under the Indo-Pacific Strategy.
As the sun sets on Colombo’s Galle Face Green, where fisherfolk gather to hear Perera’s updates, Sagar Bhandu stands as a sentinel of sovereignty—a friend to the ocean’s bounty, a foe to its foes, tightening Sri Lanka’s coastal clasp in an era of expanding threats.
Maritime Menace: Sri Lanka’s Coastal Challenges in Context
Sri Lanka’s seas, a sapphire expanse encircling the teardrop isle, have long been a lifeline and a liability, their 512,000 sq km EEZ teeming with 4.5 million tons of fish stocks that sustain 3 million livelihoods but lure lawless legions. Menace maritime mounts: 2025’s 250 illegal trawler incursions (up 40% from 2024), mostly Indian vessels netting 20,000 tons of yellowfin tuna, per Fisheries Ministry data—losses LKR 15 billion, 15% of GDP.
Challenges cascade: human trafficking’s horror—2024’s 1,500 Rohingya migrants drowned off Kalpitiya—smuggling’s shadow (heroin hauls Rs 5,000 crore yearly), environmental evisceration (dynamite fishing scarring 10% reefs). Context’s crux: 2022 crisis crippled Coast Guard (budget slashed 30%), 2023’s China debt-trap fears fueled foreign fishing fleets.
Menace’s map: northern Jaffna’s porous Palk Strait, southern Hambantota’s high-seas highway—Sri Lanka’s seas, a menace’s maze.
Sagar Bhandu’s Blueprint: Phases, Patrols, and Partnership Pacts
Blueprint Bhandu’s bold, Sagar’s blueprint phases, patrols, partnerships. Phases phase forward: Phase 1 (November 2025-February 2026) intensive 90-day patrols in 5 high-risk zones—Mannar, Jaffna, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Hambantota—5,000 personnel, 50 SLNS vessels.
Patrols’ pulse: 24/7 radar sweeps from 20 Japanese-donated stations, drone detachments (20 DJI Matrice 300) mapping 1,000 sq km daily. Partnerships pact: India’s Sankalp synergy—joint exercises November 30, 10 fast boats gifted 2023—U.S. $15 million Pacific pact for EEZ enforcers.
Blueprint’s beat: phases’ phase, patrols’ pulse—Bhandu’s blueprint.
Forces’ Fortitude: Navy’s Nerve and Community’s Clasp
Fortitude forces forge, Navy’s nerve community’s clasp. Navy’s 20,000 strong, SLNS Sayurala (flagship frigate) leads 50-vessel flotilla, SBS (Special Boat Squadron) 500 elite commandos for interdiction.
Clasp community’s: 10,000 fisher sentinels trained, VHF-equipped boats (5,000 by 2026), apps alerting intrusions—fortitude’s forces, clasp’s community.
Nerve’s nexus: 2025’s 300 busts (up 50%), Rs 20 billion seizures—fortitude’s forge.
Economic Edge: Blue Economy Boost and Budgetary Backbone
Edge economic edges, blue economy’s boost budgetary backbone. Boost’s blue: secure EEZs swell tuna exports 25% (LKR 25 billion yearly), tourism tide 15% (Rs 10,000 crore from whale-watching).
Backbone budgetary: LKR 20 billion 2026 allocation—Rs 5,000 crore radars, Rs 3,000 crore vessels—edge’s economic, boost’s blue.