The Geopolitical Enabling Of The Gotabaya Garrison State Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka The project of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa seems to be the conversion of Sri Lanka from an uninterrupted, long-standing democracy and open society, into a second Pakistan, with a permanent overarching military establishment either producing political leaders as in the past or constraining civilian political leaders within parameters set by the military establishment. This is also the Myanmar model. In both cases religion also plays a role as state ideology. The adoption of a Pakistan-Myanmar garrison state model by Sri Lanka would significantly facilitate a strategic interlock with China as it does in both cases, irrespective of the civilian leadership. This would have grave strategic implications on India’s southern flank. Sri Lanka would be the second prong of a pincer.