India-Sri Lanka talks continue as Chinese vessel sails towards Hambantota port
NEW DELHI – India continues to be in talks with Sri Lanka over concerns about the scheduled arrival of a Chinese research vessel at the southern port of Hambantota.
On Saturday (July 30), the Sri Lankan defence ministry spokesperson confirmed that the research vessel, Yuan Wang 5, will be in Hambantota in the second week of August. “The vessel will be in Hambantota from August 11 to 17, mainly for replenishment, including fuel,” said the spokesperson.
The Sri Lankan officer sought to downplay the visit, stating that such vessels “periodically come from various countries such as India, China, Japan, Australia”.
“It is nothing unusual,” he said.
India’s anxieties about the arrival of the ship were indicated first by the statement of the Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi last week. At the weekly briefing, Bagchi’s “clear message” was that India “carefully monitors any development having a bearing on its security and economic interests”.
Subsequently, the Chinese foreign ministry told Reuters that it hoped that “relevant parties will view and report on China’s marine scientific research activities correctly and refrain from interfering with normal and legitimate maritime activities”.
On Sunday (July 31), an English language Sri Lankan weekly, reported that Colombo was discussing with both China and India to reach an “amicable solution” over the arrival of the Chinese research ship.
It also reported that clearance to the vessel was granted by the Sri Lankan government several weeks ago before Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as president.
There has been no public confirmation that India has raised the matter officially with Sri Lanka, but indications are clear that talks are underway to get clarification from Colombo.
The matter comes at a delicate time for Sri Lanka when it has to start debt restructuring talks with China. This was also a piece of key advice from International Monetary Fund (IMF), which has been negotiating a financing loan with the island nation enmeshed in its worst economic crisis since independence.
In 2014, Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government allowed a Chinese nuclear power submarine to dock at Colombo port, triggering tensions between India and Sri Lanka.
-thewire.in