Sri Lanka To Lift Ban On Foreign Research Ships From Its Ports In 2025

Sri Lanka will begin easing its ban on foreign research vessels docking at its ports next year.

The ban was initially imposed due to security concerns that India and the United States raised.

Foreign Minister Ali Sabry announced during his visit to Japan that Sri Lanka cannot implement different laws for different countries, particularly China.

The ban, which took effect in January 2024, responded to the increased movement of Chinese research vessels in the Indian Ocean.

India and the United States feared that these ships might be spy vessels.

Despite the ban, Sri Lanka made an exception for the Chinese vessel Shi Yan 6, which docked at Colombo port in October 2023 to conduct “geophysical scientific research” in partnership with Sri Lanka’s National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency.

In an interview with NHK World Japan, Foreign Minister Sabry stated that Sri Lanka’s policy must be unbiased, not favouring or opposing any particular nation.

India and the United States have expressed concern over Chinese research vessels such as Shi Yan 6 and Yuan Wang 5, which had docked in Sri Lankan ports for repairs and research over the past two years.

Sri Lanka’s ports have grown in strategic importance in recent years, attracting substantial foreign investment.

In May 2023, China Merchants Group announced a nearly $400 million investment to construct a vast logistics complex at Colombo port.

Meanwhile, India and its Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) partners, Australia, Japan, and the United States, have increased their efforts to oppose Chinese dominance in the Indian Ocean region.

India’s involvement includes the resurgence of the Colombo Security Conclave, which now includes Bangladesh, the Maldives, Mauritius, the Seychelles, and Sri Lanka.

India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, will launch a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Colombo in June 2024, signifying a solid maritime security cooperation between India and Sri Lanka.

The US has also increased its presence at Sri Lankan ports, with the Development Finance Corporation (DFC) investing $553 million in the Adani-ports-led West Container Terminal Project in Colombo.

The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) and the Virginia Ports Authority (VPA) have also signed an agreement for technical collaboration and expertise exchange.

Japan has agreed to send Sri Lanka a vessel equipped with underwater sonar technology. This will allow the country to perform oceanographic surveys and commercially utilize the data.

Minister Sabry emphasised that Sri Lanka, suffering from its most significant financial crisis since Independence, must exploit its untapped maritime resources through transparent research efforts.

Sri Lanka’s strategic location in the Indian Ocean, serving as a crucial junction for marine traffic between Southeast Asia and West Asia, highlights the importance of its ports in global trade routes.

As Sri Lanka prepares to ease the ban on foreign research ships, it maintains balanced relationships with major nations while focusing on economic recovery and strategic maritime interests.

Reference: The Hindu, News18

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