Sri Lanka’s space governance framework is anchored in national science and technology legislation and long-standing international engagement. The National Science and Technology Commission (NASTEC) is the Apex Policy Formulating and Advisory body to the Government of Sri Lanka on Science and Technology matters. The Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies serves as the country’s primary institution for advancing space technologies, with a mandate to conduct R&D, support government and private sector applications, and train personnel in modern technological fields including space technologies.

The Science and Technology Development Act No. 11 of 1994 further supports institutional development in science, technology, and innovation. Sri Lanka ratified the Outer Space Treaty in 1986 and is also party to the Liability Convention, the Partial Test Ban Treaty, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, and the International Telecommunication Constitution and Convention. In 1985, Sri Lanka proposed to the Conference on Disarmament a moratorium on space weapon development and testing, along with an agreement on the non-first use of ASAT weapons. Sri Lanka launched its first satellite, Raavana-1, in 2019 through the BIRDS-3 project, and participates in regional initiatives such as the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum through various national ministries and agencies.