Since the 2010 conclusion of Sri Lanka's decades-long conflict with Tamil Tiger separatists in the country's northern regions, the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) has been re-inventing itself to develop the operational agility required to tackle today's complex defence and security challenges.

The 'Sri Lanka Navy's Maritime Strategy 2025', its roadmap for achieving this aim, was released in November 2016 at the navy's Galle Dialogue conference in Colombo.

The strategy outlines the way ahead for the navy and sets out a major shift in emphasis.

The SLN is seeking to evolve from being an internal security force to taking on a much wider role as a medium-scale regional force projection navy designed to defend maritime security interests in the southern Indian Ocean.

Analysis by Professor Geoffrey Till, Singapore - IHS Jane's Navy International for IHS Jane's 360