Pathfinder Think Tank operates without proper registration in Sri Lanka?
Is an unregistered private organisation acting as Sri Lanka’s de facto foreign ministry? Questions mount over Pathfinder Foundation’s legal status, funding, and influence.
In the corridors of Colombo’s diplomatic elite, an audacious experiment is playing out quietly. It has no constitutional authority. It claims no formal mandate from parliament. Yet, according to a growing chorus of retired diplomats, intelligence officials, and legal experts, the Pathfinder Foundation—a think tank established by former politician and businessman Milinda Moragoda—is increasingly projecting itself as the island nation’s shadow foreign ministry.
The controversy raises urgent legal and sovereignty questions: How can a private entity engage with foreign governments and diplomats without registration with the Ministry of Defence, the Foreign Ministry, or the Ministry of Education? And who appointed a banker-turned-politician to be Sri Lanka’s geopolitical guru?
The "Shadow Foreign Ministry" in Colombo
Critics argue that Pathfinder has long overstepped the bounds of a typical policy research institute. It does not merely publish papers; it hosts high-level dialogues with foreign envoys, conducts Track II diplomacy with the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, and recently briefed the New Zealand High Commission on Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and maritime security.
While think tanks often assist in soft diplomacy, sources within the Foreign Ministry claim Pathfinder representatives have reportedly told diplomats that they have a "direct line to the President’s Office" and act as the "real voice" of Sri Lankan foreign policy. A retired ambassador with three decades of service described the situation as dangerous, stating: "Pathfinder is trying to usurp institutional authority without any mandate, public scrutiny, or accountability."
Legal Black Hole: Registration Status Unknown
The most pressing concern is the legal standing of the organization. The recent allegations specifically claim that the Pathfinder Foundation is not registered with the Ministry of Defence or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In Sri Lanka, while think tanks can register as companies or NGOs, engaging in activities that blur the lines between public diplomacy and national security typically requires oversight.
The Department of Registration of Companies lists the Pathfinder Foundation (PV 110467) as a private company limited by guarantee. However, critics argue that operating as a "defacto foreign ministry" without specific legislative approval to interface with foreign governments constitutes a legal grey area—or outright violation of state protocols.
Even more startling are claims made by Mr. Asanka Abeygunasekara, the former Director General of the Sri Lankan Defence Research Agency -INSS . In a formal letter to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake dated April 18, 2025, Abeygunasekara called for an immediate investigation into the Foundation. He alleges the organization played a "covert background role" in the events surrounding the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings and claims that a figure suspected of involvement in the attacks is currently employed by the foundation.
The Banker Turned Geopolitical Guru
Your question regarding Milinda Moragoda’s academic standing cuts to the heart of the credibility issue. How does a banker and politician suddenly become the nation’s leading geopolitical strategist?
According to official records, Milinda Moragoda holds an MBA from the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Switzerland. He was also a Fellow at Harvard University’s Weatherhead Centre for International Affairs from 1994 to 1995. While these are respectable credentials, he holds no PhD in International Relations, Security Studies, or Economics.
Critics argue that Moragoda’s career trajectory has been defined by political survival and business, not intellectual rigor. Before his diplomatic resurgence, Moragoda was a controversial figure in Sri Lanka’s financial sector.
A shadow hangs over his past with Mercantile Credit Ltd. , a financial institution that collapsed after borrowing over Rs. 1 billion from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, devastating thousands of depositors. Moragoda was at the centre of that storm. Although no court held him liable, anti-corruption lawyers and civil society groups are now calling for a forensic audit of Pathfinder’s funds and a reopening of inquiries into Moragoda’s business dealings.
A Tool for Foreign Influence?
The allegations go further, suggesting Pathfinder is a vehicle for advancing foreign interests—specifically those of India and the United States—at the expense of Sri Lanka’s sovereignty.
Reports indicate that Pathfinder has been promoting dialogues aimed at countering Chinese influence in Sri Lanka, aligning with the geopolitical goals of New Delhi. Sources claim Moragoda handed Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval a policy document recommending that Sri Lanka adopt Indian defence and foreign policies.
Furthermore, the foundation’s ties to powerful conglomerates like John Keells Holdings—the local agent for India’s Adani Group—have raised concerns about conflicts of interest. Critics allege that Pathfinder has remained silent on monopolistic infrastructure deals while aggressively pushing an anti-China narrative.
The Easter Sunday Shadow
Perhaps the most damning accusation comes from security circles. The infamous May 7, 2019, conference held by Pathfinder at the BMICH—just weeks after the Easter massacre—featured former US Ambassador Robert O. Blake lavishing praise on then-Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Critics argue the event served as a platform to rehabilitate Rajapaksa’s image and pave his way to the presidency, using the tragedy for political gain.
A Threat to Sovereignty?
The central question remains: Is the Pathfinder Foundation working in the best interests of the Sri Lankan people, or is it an unregulated vehicle for private influence masquerading as public policy?
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s administration, which ran on a platform of transparency and national sovereignty, is now under pressure to act. Demands include clarifying the boundaries between official foreign policy and private think tanks, conducting a full audit of Pathfinder’s finances, and investigating Milinda Moragoda’s role in the Mercantile Credit collapse.
Until the government acts, the diplomatic community and the Sri Lankan public are left with an unsettling reality: a private citizen with a controversial financial past is allegedly operating a defacto foreign ministry without a mandate.