Why Sri Lanka has declared a one-year pause on foreign research vessels

The presence of Chinese Navy ships docked in Sri Lanka has long worried India. Now, the South Asian country is imposing a one-year pause on granting permissions to foreign research vessels to operate in its waters, delivering a significant blow to China.Sri Lanka’s foreign minister Ali Sabry said, there were frequent docking requests from Chinese surveillance ships and the decision was taken in a bid to prevent Chinese 'research-cum-spy' ships from docking at Lankan ports."The government is considering a year-long moratorium on granting permission for foreign research vessels to conduct surveys in Sri Lankan waters or her exclusive economic zone (EEZ)," a senior Lankan minister told Lankan daily The Daily Morning."The arrival of these ships creates serious diplomatic tensions, and it (2024) is an election year. Such ship visits can be highly disruptive for the region and Sri Lanka, because of the pressure the government may come under. So, a moratorium, for one year or perhaps more, is being considered," the minister said.The Lankan government has communicated the decision to relevant countries, Sabry told the Daily Mirror newspaper.The decision has been taken in the wake of China seeking permission to berth yet another research vessel in Sri Lanka's waters in January, next year, the report said.Big blow to ChinaAccording to the media reports, China planned to dock its marine scientific research (MSR) vessel, the Xiang Yang Hong 3, in Sri Lankan ports by early 2024. The decision has faced reservations from New Delhi.As Sri Lanka is heading towards presidential elections in 2024, Colombo is avoiding flattering or irritating any of the two Asian heavyweights.[caption id="attachment_13529552" align="alignnone" width="640"]

Sri Lanka's foreign minister also said the guidelines set under the SOP had been sent to all the countries that deployed their vessels to Sri Lankan waters during the last 10 years. File image/AP[/caption]According to Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, Sri Lanka would spend the next 12 months developing its own marine research capabilities in order to participate in future foreign research expeditions as an equal partner."That is for us to do some capacity development so that we can participate in such research activities as equal partners," he said, according to the Lankan news outlet Daily Mirror.China’s presence in Sri Lankan watersChina dispatches its research/surveillance vessels to Sri Lanka regularly. In August this year, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy warship HAI YANG 24 HAO arrived in the country on a two-day visit.Chinese Survey and Research Vessel 'Shi Yan 6' docked at Colombo port in October despite India's objection and carried out research activities along with the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) on the water column of the Indian Ocean.In August last year, a port call by the Chinese ballistic missile and satellite tracking ship, ‘Yuan Wang 5', which arrived in the Sri Lankan port of Hambantota elicited strong reactions from India.There were apprehensions in New Delhi about the possibility of the vessel's hi-tech tracking systems attempting to snoop on Indian defence installations while on its way to the Sri Lankan port.However, after a considerable delay, Sri Lanka allowed the ship to dock at the strategic southern port of Hambantota, being built by a Chinese company.The country has evolved the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for foreign military vessels and aircraft arriving in the country, Sabry said.The foreign minister also said the guidelines set under the SOP had been sent to all the countries that deployed their vessels to Sri Lankan waters during the last 10 years.With inputs from PTI