Sri Lanka Urged to Align with India in Global AI Race, Says Colombo Telegraph Article

Sri Lanka’s AI Future Linked to Regional Partnership​

New Delhi, February 23: Sri Lanka’s path to participating in the global artificial intelligence race lies in partnering with a fast-growing nation, with India emerging as the most viable option, according to an article published in the Colombo Telegraph.

The article, authored by Dr. W.A. Wijewardena, argues that Sri Lanka is unlikely to align with the two dominant powers in the AI race, the United States and China. Instead, it suggests that Sri Lanka should strategically position itself alongside India, which is described as a rising force in artificial intelligence development.

“India is rapidly developing its AI capabilities, and it is likely to become part of a three-member oligopoly along with the US and China that will dominate the world. In this context, Sri Lanka has no choice but to join the Indian effort to harness the best results for its citizens,” the article states.

President Dissanayake Highlights AI Vulnerabilities​

Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, speaking at the AI Summit in New Delhi last week, acknowledged the risks faced by countries lagging in artificial intelligence development. He noted that nations falling behind in the AI race could face heightened vulnerabilities, particularly as AI reshapes global economic and development priorities.

The President emphasized that the emerging AI-driven landscape poses challenges to inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development goals. He added that Sri Lanka, like many emerging economies, has yet to build the infrastructure required to fully leverage AI as a driver of economic growth.

According to him, countries in similar positions must adopt a principled, confident, and forward-looking strategy to respond effectively to the AI transition.

Infrastructure Gaps Leave Sri Lanka Exposed​

The Colombo Telegraph article underscores Sri Lanka’s vulnerability, pointing to the country’s limited AI infrastructure as a major barrier to participation in the global AI ecosystem.

It highlights India’s relative strength in artificial intelligence competitiveness. India is ranked third globally in AI competitiveness and vibrancy in Stanford University’s AI Index 2025. However, the article notes that India occupies a middle position in both the IMF’s AI Preparedness Index and Oxford University’s Government AI Readiness Index for 2025.

While India’s capacity to challenge the United States and China directly remains uncertain, the article suggests that collaboration with India offers Sri Lanka a practical and strategic pathway forward.

India’s Demographic and Digital Advantage​

The article outlines several factors contributing to India’s strategic advantage in artificial intelligence.

Demographically, nearly two-thirds of India’s population is under the age of 35, creating a large and youthful talent pool. This represents significant human capital for AI-driven industries and innovation.

In terms of digital infrastructure, India has made rapid progress. Its cloud storage capacity stands at approximately 100 petabytes. Numerous data centers across the country are equipped with more than 38,000 Graphics Processing Units, which are essential for intensive computing tasks.

A single petabyte is capable of storing around 500 billion pages of standard text or over 200,000 high-definition movies. GPUs, originally designed for graphics processing, are now central to video editing, high-performance computing, and machine learning. Their ability to handle massive data workloads makes them critical for training large AI models.

Entrepreneurship and User Base Strengthen AI Ecosystem​

India’s expanding startup ecosystem is another factor cited in the article. The country has approximately 200,000 startups, reflecting a strong entrepreneurial drive that supports innovation and technology development.

Additionally, India has a subscriber base of more than 400 million users, providing a substantial digital market that can accelerate AI adoption and application at scale.

In this context, the article concludes that Sri Lanka’s most realistic strategy to remain relevant in the evolving AI landscape is to align itself with India’s growing artificial intelligence ecosystem, leveraging regional proximity and shared developmental interests.