coordination when the fundamentalist Buddhist monk in Myanmar known
as Wirathu, visited fundamentalist Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka.251 This
meeting was explicit in its intent to coordinate across borders and
organize anti-Muslim violence.
This type of intentional coordination is also mirrored by the ongoing
growth of Indian Hindutva influence in Sri Lanka,252 impacting social,
cultural and political life. This relationship is particularly noteworthy given
similar tactics used by Prime Minister Modi of India and President Ranil
Wickremesinghe of Sri Lanka to suppress movements, as well as their
recent moves to seemingly ‘normalize’ ties with Israel. Modi’s support
for Israel has signaled a departure from the decades-long state position
held by India,253 and Wickremesinghe’s stance of constant equivocation
is new for Sri Lanka as well. Wickremesinghe’s choice to meet an Israeli
minister amidst the genocide in Gaza in early 2024 also spoke volumes.254
The strengthened ties between these two leaders also signal strong
coordination as well as influence over one another.255
Once you place these developments against the backdrop of increasing
anti-Muslim violence and rhetoric in both India and Sri Lanka, a troubling
picture emerges. Malji Andrea, in her research work on the South Asian
region, points to the gendered nature of Islamophobia in India and Sri
Lanka,256 seeking to highlight common tactics used by fundamentalist
and fascist Hindutva and Buddhist extremist actors in both contexts.
For example, the use of the narratives of “sterility” and “virility” to incite
violence against Muslim communities and propel men of the dominant
group into such violence is a commonly seen tactic across Sri Lanka and
India.
Finally, we see the global context of historic, unprecedented levels
of economic inequality. This reality must also be examined, when
considering the current moment, as a factor which sets the contemporary
landscape apart from other historical trends to the right. Fascisms and
251
Srilal, R. (2014). Radical Myanmar monk joins hands with Sri Lankan Buddhists. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/
article/idUSKCN0HO0GD/
252
Borham, M. (2024). Rising Hindutva Influence: Social Media Divide in Sri Lanka’s North and East. Hashtag Generation. https://hashtaggeneration.org/rising-hindutva-influence-social-media-divide-in-sri-lankas-north-and-east/
253
Ellis-Petersen, H. (2023). India takes strong pro-Israel stance under Modi in a departure from the past. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/31/india-pro-israel-narendra-modi-bjp-government
254
Economy Next. (2024). Sri Lanka president meets Israeli minister. Economy Next. https://economynext.com/
sri-lanka-president-meets-israeli-minister-151190/
255
Pathi, K. & Mallawarach, B. (2023). Sri Lankan president’s visit to India signals growing economic and energy ties.
AP News. https://apnews.com/article/india-sri-lanka-modi-ranil-energy-trade-5ee8d15248dc25f496aa75069f3d0c37
256
Malji, Andrea. (2020). “Gendered Islamophobia: The Overlapping Parallels of Hindu and Buddhist Nationalism in
South Asia.” APSA Preprints. doi: 10.33774/apsa-2020-9c500
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