"Won't Permit...": Sri Lanka's Big Statement Amid China's Hambantota Port Ops

In a significant commitment on defence cooperation, Sri Lanka today assured India that it will not permit its territory to be used in any manner inimical to the security of India. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Disanayaka reiterated Colombo's stand in the joint statement today, making its promise to New Delhi official.

Colombo's assurance to New Delhi comes at a time when China is aggressively pursuing its 'Mission Indian Ocean' - which targets India.

China, which has taken over Sri Lanka's Hambantota Port after Colombo failed to pay off Chinese debt, has been docking its naval surveillance and spy ships. Over the last two years, Beijing has, on multiple occasions, stationed its 25,000-tonne satellite and ballistic missile tracking ship Yuan Wang 5 at Hambantota - which is detrimental to New Delhi's interests due to Sri Lanka's proximity to India.

In August 2022, after New Delhi had raised its concern with Colombo, Sri Lanka had initially asked Beijing to defer its initial arrival and desist from such activity, but later allowed the Chinese ship to dock for 'replenishment'. Since then, the Chinese surveillance and spy ships have regularly been patrolling the Indian Ocean region and docking at Hambantota.

With a robust tracking, sensing and communication relay system the Yuan Wang 5 is capable of detecting foreign satellites, aerial assets and missile systems.