Nilanthi Samaranayake

Expertise

• South Asia and Indian Ocean region
• China’s ties with South Asian and East Asian countries
• Public opinion polling

Nilanthi Samaranayake is an Asia analyst in CNA’s Strategic Studies division. Much of her research focuses on South Asia and the Indian Ocean region. Prior to joining CNA, Samaranayake completed a fellowship at the National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR) in Seattle, where she investigated Sri Lanka’s deepening economic, military, and diplomatic ties with China and China’s growing presence in the Indian Ocean region. Her findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal, Asian Security. Samaranayake analyzed public opinion for a decade at Pew Research Center in Washington, D.C. While there, she directed projects including the quadrennial survey, “America’s Place in the World,” in collaboration with the Council on Foreign Relations. Samaranayake has appeared in media such as Al Jazeera, The Daily Star (Bangladesh), and Maclean’s (Canada).

Recent Work: Keynote address at PACOM’s 2011 South Asia Maritime Security Conference in Colombo, Sri Lanka; discussant at RSIS-CNA 2011 Bilateral Roundtable in Singapore, Indian Ocean region security and U.S.-Indian naval ties; report chapter on South Asian militaries’ approaches to managing ethnic representation and conflict; examination of Afghan public opinion; analysis of U.S.-Malaysian naval engagement; socio-cultural research and analysis in the defense community.

Previous Positions: Next Generation Leadership in Asian Affairs Fellow, The National Bureau of Asian Research (Seattle); Survey and Data Manager, and Project Director, Pew Research Center (Washington, D.C.); Intern, U.S. Department of State, NATO Enlargement and Ratification Office, China Strategic Institute, and Embassy of India (Washington, D.C.).

Education: M.Sc., International Relations, the London School of Economics and Political Science; B.A., International Studies, American University, School of International Service; Study in Beijing: University of International Business and Economics.

Publications of Interest:

• “The Long Littoral Project: Bay of Bengal—A Maritime Perspective on Indo-Pacific Security,” by Nilanthi Samaranayake. CNA, IRP-2012-U-002319-Final, September 2012.
• “Review of The New Global Politics of the Asia Pacific (Routledge, 2012), Michael K. Connors, Rémy Davison, & Jörn Dosch,” by Nilanthi Samaranayake. Journal of International and Global Studies 3, no. 2, 2012, pp. 161-163.
• “Maldives: Why the US and India Should Remain Calm,” by Nilanthi Samaranayake. PacNet, no. 13, Pacific Forum CSIS, March 1, 2012. Reprinted in the Asia Times on March 6, 2012, and The Diplomat on March 11, 2012.
• “There Is More to South Asia Than India and Pakistan,” by Nilanthi Samaranayake. South Asia Journal, issue 3, January 2012, pp. 5-12.
• “Q&A: Understanding the Sri Lanka-China-India Triangle,” by Nilanthi Samaranayake. NBR Alumni Network, The National Bureau of Asian Research, October 24, 2011.
• “The United States Should Strengthen Ties with the Smaller Countries of South Asia,” by Nilanthi Samaranayake. Asia Pacific Bulletin, no. 129, East-West Center, September 22, 2011. Reprinted in The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka) on October 2, 2011, and Minivan News (Maldives) on October 5, 2011.
• “Are Sri Lanka’s Relations with China Deepening? An Analysis of Economic, Military, and Diplomatic Data,” by Nilanthi Samaranayake. Asian Security 7, no. 2, 2011, pp. 119–146.
• “Conscription in the Afghan Army: Compulsory Service versus an All Volunteer Force,” by Jerry Meyerle, Nilanthi Samaranayake, Mike Markowitz, Lonn Waters, Hilary Zarin, Brian Ellison, Chris Jehn, and Bill Rosenau. CNA, D0024840.A2/Final, April 2011.