India security concerns 'important' for Sri Lanka; No permission given to Chinese vessel, says Sri Lankan Minister

On Monday, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry stated that Colombo has not granted permission for a Chinese warship to dock, adding that Indian security concerns are “important” for Sri Lanka. When asked about rumours of a Chinese research vessel named Shi Yan 6 docking in Sri Lanka in October and India’s worries, he stated they have a standard operating procedure (SOP) and have informed many friends, including India. “That’s a conversation going on for some period of time. India has expressed its concerns for a long period of time, but we have now come out with the SOP standard operating procedure. When we were making that, we consulted many of our friends, including India. So, as long as it complies with the SOP, we have no problem. But if it doesn’t comply with the SOP, we have a problem,” Ali Sabry told ANI. He said that Sri Lanka has not given permission for the Chinese vessel Shi Yan 6 to dock during the month of October, adding that negotiations are going on. “So, therefore, as far as I know, we have not given permission to come to Sri Lanka during the month of October. So, there are negotiations going on. But, Indian security concerns, which are legitimate, are very, very important for us. We have always told that because we want to keep our region as a zone of peace,” he added. Earlier, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe stated that the SPO for foreign vessels had been worked out. According to the Sri Lanka-based Daily Mirror, the Chinese research vessel will arrive in Sri Lanka in October to undertake research alongside the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA). Meanwhile, at a meeting with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, US Under Secretary Victoria Nuland expressed worry over the scheduled arrival of the Chinese research vessel Shi Yan 6, according to the Daily Mirror. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Victoria Nuland stated, “The U.S. supports a strong and prosperous Sri Lanka. Our work together continues at #UNGA. I met with @MFA_SriLanka Minister Ali Sabry to discuss U.S. economic assistance, human rights, and our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

The U.S. supports a strong and prosperous Sri Lanka. Our work together continues at #UNGA. I met with @MFA_SriLanka Minister Ali Sabry to discuss U.S. economic assistance, human rights, and our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. #USSriLanka75 pic.twitter.com/QBVurl4ULc

— Allison M. Hooker (@UnderSecStateP) September 22, 2023

Sabry told Nuland that Sri Lanka had worked out the Standard Operating Procedure (SPO) to be followed by foreign ships and aircraft in carrying out any activity in Sri Lankan territory, according to a Daily Mirror report. Reportedly, he told her that Sri Lanka had been even-handed in this approach for all nations and could not exclude China from the process. The two leaders held a meeting on the sidelines of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Last year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar while commenting on Chinese spy vessel Yuan Wang-5 which had docked in Sri Lanka, said that any developments that have a bearing on India’s security are “obviously of an interest to us”. “What happens in our neighbourhood, any developments which have a bearing on our security obviously are of an interest to us,” Jaishankar said at a joint press conference after the 9th India-Thailand Joint Commission Meeting. India had expressed its security concerns over the docking of the vessel at the Sri Lankan port as it was shown as a research vessel with the capability of mapping the ocean bed, which is critical to anti-submarine operations of the Chinese Navy. The Chinese research ship had docked at Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port.