Home Sri Lanka With eyes on China and India, Sri Lanka lifts ban on foreign research vessels
Sri Lanka

With eyes on China and India, Sri Lanka lifts ban on foreign research vessels

Share
Chinese research ship Shi Yan 6 is seen birthed at the Colombo harbor in 2023. Photo: AP | Eranga Jayawardena
Share

Sri Lanka is reversing a year-long ban on foreign research vessels in its waters, opting instead to draft new protocols that aim to balance India’s security concerns with China’s growing presence in the Indian Ocean.

The moratorium, which expired on December 31, was introduced in late 2023 after New Delhi raised alarms about the Chinese research vessel Shi Yan 6 that conducted a joint maritime survey with Sri Lanka’s maritime agency.

While the ban temporarily eased tensions with India, Colombo’s decision to let the restriction lapse signals a shift towards managing maritime issues through regulations rather than outright prohibition.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath confirmed late last month that a committee was working on new standard operating procedures for granting clearance to foreign research vessels and aircraft. The guidelines would consider international best practices and national security concerns alongside the country’s national interests, Herath said.

But the move raises questions about Colombo’s ability to navigate the competing agendas of its two most influential partners.

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar (left) meeting with his Sri Lankan counterpart Vijitha Herath in Colombo in October. Photo: AFP

Frédéric Grare, a senior research fellow at the Australian National University’s National Security College, described Sri Lanka’s approach as an attempt “to be as non-aligned as possible”.

“But until the specifics of the new standards have been decided and made public, it is difficult to assess the extent to which China will be able to operate in Sri Lankan waters and therefore how much of a threat it is for India,” he said.

Grare believes Colombo is likely to draft its rules in a way that minimises friction with Delhi, noting that common standards could make it easier to manage relations with both India and China.

Sankalp Gurjar, an assistant professor at the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics in Pune, echoed this sentiment.

“Sri Lanka wants to avoid being caught in the India-China rivalry,” Gurjar said, noting Indian suspicions that Chinese research vessels might be spy ships.

“For Sri Lanka, there are no easy answers,” he said. Historical partner India provided more than US$4 billion in economic help during the South Asian island nation’s recent financial crisis. Yet China remains a powerful ally, accounting for 11.9 per cent of Sri Lanka’s foreign trade in 2023.

Then-Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena shaking hands with China’s President Xi Jinping before a meeting in Beijing. Photo: AFP

“Sri Lanka does not want to alienate Beijing, therefore it is attempting to find a middle ground,” Gurjar added.

Chennai-based policy analyst and political commentator N. Sathiya Moorthy sees Sri Lanka’s decision as a step towards asserting its sovereignty and deciding for itself which ships are allowed in its waters.

Still, concerns linger over the implications of China’s activities in the region, particularly regarding seabed mining. Moorthy warned that Chinese companies could use research data to secure international approvals for mining operations in Sri Lankan waters, adding that Colombo should prioritise working with India instead of “distant China” for logistical reasons.

Even during the moratorium, Sri Lanka allowed exceptions. A German research vessel docked at the Port of Colombo last year, prompting questions from the Chinese embassy. Sri Lanka clarified that the ban applied only to research, not “replenishment”, and that the German vessel did not conduct studies in its waters.

That incident highlights the complexities of enforcing such a ban and underscores why Colombo is prioritising a standardised approach moving forward.

“It also implies that Sri Lanka would be willing to extend a similar facility to China,” Moorthy said.

A container vessel offloading at the East Terminal of the Colombo port in Sri Lanka. Photo: AFP

When asked about the timeline for the new protocols – described by local commentators as “reinventing the wheel” – Foreign Minister Herath said they would be completed “in a short period”, assuring reporters that no foreign vessels would arrive in Sri Lankan waters before the rules were finalised.

Meanwhile, Japan has stepped in to bolster Sri Lanka’s oceanographic capabilities. During the moratorium, Tokyo finalised plans to provide Colombo with a vessel equipped with underwater sonar to detect other ships.

This technology will help “Colombo to avoid the temptation of depending on any Chinese research vessel to study its seabed for minerals”, Moorthy said.

During a visit to India last month, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged to enhance cooperation on surveying and charting the ocean.

Sri Lanka’s predicament is closely watched by other nations caught in the crosshairs of global power struggles.

“Other smaller countries that are caught in the great power politics will also be carefully watching what Sri Lanka does and how it finds a way out,” Gurjar said.

(South China Morning Post)

Share

Leave a comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Articles
Sri Lanka

SJB blames Minister for blackout

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Ajith P. Perera said that the Minister...

Sri Lanka

Wimal holds Governor responsible for coconut shortage

Former Minister Wimal Weerawansa said that the main reason for the shortage...

Sri Lanka

Drug sales targeting school children on the rise

With the increase in the sale of various drugs targeting school children,...

Sri Lanka

Special Parliament sitting on Feb 14

The Committee on Parliamentary Business has decided to convene a special Sitting...