Sri Lanka Military Power Ranking 2025
MPR Rank: 58th
MPR SCORE: 561
MPR Index: 0.2259 (1.0000 is perfect)
Reverse MPR Index: 0.7336 (0.0000 is perfect)
Z Score: +0.293 (standard deviations above the mean)
Overview
Sri Lanka ranks 58th in the 2025 Military Power Rankings (MPR). As a strategically located island nation in the Indian Ocean with a military honed by decades of counterinsurgency operations, Sri Lanka plays a crucial role in maritime security and regional stability. Despite budgetary constraints and limited power projection capability, Sri Lanka maintains seasoned ground forces, capable naval patrol assets, and improving air capabilities, enabling it to safeguard its territorial integrity and contribute to regional security initiatives.
Strengths: Experienced Island Defense Force
Counterinsurgency Legacy: Sri Lanka’s armed forces gained extensive operational experience during the civil war, honing jungle warfare, intelligence-driven operations, and special forces tactics.
Maritime Patrol Capability: The Sri Lanka Navy conducts anti-smuggling and exclusive economic zone (EEZ) patrols with offshore patrol vessels and fast attack craft, securing vital sea lanes in the Indian Ocean.
Strategic Location: Positioned along major Indian Ocean shipping routes near the Strait of Malacca, Sri Lanka’s military plays a role in monitoring maritime traffic and supporting regional security initiatives.
Professional Ground Forces: The Sri Lanka Army fields veteran infantry and elite units with high readiness, underpinned by robust reserve mobilization and veteran retention.
Why Sri Lanka Is Still Ranked Just 58th
1. Limited Defense Budget and Modernization
Sri Lanka’s defense spending remains constrained by economic pressures, impacting force modernization and procurement.
Defense budget under 2% of GDP, limiting acquisition of advanced systems
Reliance on aging platforms without significant new procurements
2. Restricted Power Projection
Sri Lanka lacks the means to project force beyond its immediate maritime approaches.
No amphibious assault ships or expeditionary vessels
Air Force limited to a small fleet of transport, trainer, and patrol aircraft with no long-range strike capability
3. Logistics and Support Infrastructure
Sri Lanka’s military support networks and industrial base have limited capacity for sustained operations.
No indigenous large-scale defense manufacturing facilities
Dependence on foreign suppliers for maintenance and spare parts
Conclusion
Sri Lanka is a hardened counterinsurgency and maritime patrol force with a strategic position in the Indian Ocean. Its core strength lies in the professionalism and experience of its infantry and naval units, but in the context of the MPR — which emphasizes decisive, independent warfighting capability and power projection — it ranks 58th due to limited budget, modernization shortfalls, and constrained support infrastructure.
Military Strength and Force Projection:
Active Military Personnel: 250,000 (IISS 2023)
Reserve Personnel: 100,000 (CIA World Factbook)
Paramilitary Forces: 50,000 (Sri Lanka Civil Security Department, Police Special Task Force)
Army Personnel: 200,000
Navy Personnel: 40,000
Air Force Personnel: 10,000
Ground Forces:
Main Battle Tanks (MBTs): 300+ (T-55, Type 69)
Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFVs): 1,000+
Artillery (Towed and Self-Propelled): 300+
Air Force:
Combat Aircraft: 30+ (SIPRI 2023)
Helicopters: 40+
Transport Aircraft: 10+
Aircraft Breakdown:
Kfir Fighter Jets: 10
Mi-24 Helicopters: 10 (attack helicopters)
Y-12 Transport Aircraft: 8
Naval Forces:
Submarines: None
Frigates: 2
Fast Attack Craft: 30+
Patrol Vessels: 12
Landing Ships: 3
Missile Capabilities:
Sri Lanka does not possess advanced missile systems, focusing instead on conventional coastal and air defense measures. The country’s missile defense capabilities are relatively limited, relying on conventional artillery and anti-aircraft systems.
Strategic Partnerships:
Sri Lanka maintains defense relationships with several countries, including India and China, from which it procures military equipment. It is strategically important due to its location in the Indian Ocean, making it a key player in maritime security in the region. Sri Lanka also participates in regional security cooperation with its neighbors, contributing to maritime patrols and anti-piracy operations.
Sri Lanka – Military History & Combat Experience
Sri Lanka’s military history reflects a transformation from colonial garrison duties under the British Empire to a modern defense force shaped by decades of asymmetric conflict and humanitarian operations. Following independence in 1948, its armed forces evolved through civil insurrections, a protracted civil war, and post-war reconstruction while gradually expanding its maritime and peacekeeping roles in the Indian Ocean region.
Colonial and Early Independence (1948–1970): At independence from Britain in 1948, Ceylon (renamed Sri Lanka in 1972) inherited a small volunteer-based military focused on internal security and ceremonial duties. During this period, the army, navy, and newly established air wing maintained domestic order and gradually built infrastructure and training programs under foreign advisors.
JVP Insurrections (1971 & 1987–1989): The insurgencies led by the Marxist–Leninist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna tested Sri Lanka’s counterinsurgency capabilities. In 1971, government forces quelled a brief but intense uprising, followed by a second insurrection in the late 1980s, during which the military refined urban warfare tactics, intelligence coordination, and civil–military cooperation to restore stability.
Eelam Wars (1983–2009): Sri Lanka engaged in four major phases of conflict against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Beginning with skirmishes in 1983 and culminating in a decisive military offensive in 2009, the armed forces conducted large-scale amphibious operations, jungle warfare campaigns, and coordinated air–land assaults. By the end of the final offensive, the LTTE was militarily defeated.
Maritime Security and Counter-Piracy (2010s–Present): In the decade following the civil war, the Sri Lanka Navy expanded patrols across its Exclusive Economic Zone to counter smuggling, human trafficking, and piracy. Equipped with offshore patrol vessels and fast attack craft, it conducts regular exercises with regional partners to secure key shipping lanes near the Strait of Malacca.
Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Operations (2010s–Present): Concurrently, Sri Lanka began contributing troops to UN peacekeeping missions in Lebanon, South Sudan, and Haiti. Its armed forces also played a critical role in disaster relief during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, demonstrating capabilities in logistics, medical support, and multinational coordination.
Sri Lanka’s military experience is defined by its extensive counterinsurgency campaigns, large-scale joint operations during the civil war, and an evolving focus on maritime security and international peacekeeping. While it has not engaged in conventional interstate warfare, its forces possess deep expertise in asymmetric conflict environments and humanitarian missions, shaping a versatile defense profile in the South Asian context.
General Information
Demographics and Geography
Population: ~21.9 million (2024 est.)
Population Available for Military Service: ~7.6 million (males and females aged 18–49)
Geographic Area: 65,610 km²
Land Boundaries: 0 km
Bordering Countries: None (island nation)
Coastline: 1,340 km
Climate: Tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March), southwest monsoon (June to October)
Terrain: Mostly low, flat to rolling coastal plains; mountains in south-central interior
Natural Resources: Limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower potential, arable land
Proven Oil Reserves: Negligible
Proven Natural Gas Reserves: Negligible
Economic Indicators
Defense Budget (2025): ~$1.5 billion USD
Defense Budget as % of GDP: ~2.2%
GDP (PPP): ~$310 billion USD
GDP per Capita (PPP): ~$13,900
External Debt: ~$51 billion USD
Military Expenditure Trend (last 5 years): Relatively steady; slight reduction due to economic crisis in 2022–2023
Military Infrastructure and Readiness
Military Service Obligation: Voluntary
Primary Defense Focus: Internal security, border protection, counterinsurgency, maritime control
Military Industry Base: Limited; focuses on light arms, ammunition, and vehicle refurbishing
Cyber/Electronic Warfare Capability: Developing; primarily defensive cyber units
Nuclear Warhead Inventory: None (non-nuclear state)
Major Military Districts / Commands: Security Forces Headquarters in Jaffna, Wanni, East, Central, Mullaitivu, and West
Missile Inventory Highlights: Short-range rockets and MANPADS; no strategic missile capability
Reservist Call-up Readiness / Timeline: Moderate readiness; mobilization within 30–45 days
Reservist Force Size: ~18,000
Space, Intelligence, and Strategic Infrastructure
Space or Satellite Programs: Minor participation in international space programs; launched CubeSats with Japanese assistance
Military Satellite Inventory: None
Intelligence Infrastructure: Directorate of Military Intelligence, State Intelligence Service (SIS), Naval Intelligence Directorate
Intelligence Sharing Partnerships: India, Pakistan, China (limited), regional maritime security networks
Airports (Total): ~20
Major Military Airports: Katunayake, Ratmalana, Hingurakgoda, Vavuniya
Naval Power and Maritime Logistics
Merchant Marine Fleet: ~120 vessels
Major Ports: Colombo, Hambantota, Trincomalee
Naval Infrastructure: Moderate; patrol vessels, fast attack craft, amphibious landing ships
Naval Replenishment Capability: Limited to regional logistics and coastal defense
Domestic Mobility and Infrastructure
Railway Network: ~1,500 km
Roadways: ~114,000 km
Energy and Fuel Logistics
Oil Production: None (exploration ongoing in Mannar Basin)
Energy Imports: High dependence on imported petroleum and LNG
Strategic Petroleum Reserves: Maintains short-term emergency reserves through state-owned CPC
Defense Production and Strategic Forces
Domestic Defense Production: Limited; produces small arms ammunition, modifies utility vehicles
Military Installations (Domestic): Major bases in Colombo, Jaffna, Trincomalee, Diyatalawa, Vavuniya
Military Installations (Overseas): None
Foreign Military Personnel Presence: Training exchanges and limited advisory presence (e.g., India, China, U.S.)
Defense Alliances: None formal; participates in regional security cooperation (e.g., Indian Ocean Naval Symposium)
Strategic Airlift Capability: Limited; fleet includes C-130, Y-12, An-32 transport aircraft
Wartime Industrial Surge Capacity: Low; dependent on imports and allied logistics
Research and Industry Support
Defense R&D Investment: Minimal; focused on land-based systems and training technologies
Key Wartime Industries Beyond Defense: Ceylon Petroleum Corp., Sri Lanka Railways, port logistics, food processing, textiles
Political and Administrative Structure
Capital: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (administrative), Colombo (commercial)
Founding Date: February 4, 1948 (independence from UK)
System of Government: Unitary semi-presidential constitutional republic
