New Delhi: Amid a diplomatic spat, a Chinese military survey ship docked at Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port after a days-long delay on Tuesday despite India’s concern as it views Beijing’s increasing presence in the Indian Ocean with suspicion and influence in Sri Lanka. The 'Yuan Wang 5' entered Hambantota port on Tuesday morning and was welcomed by Chinese diplomats and port officials.
However, foreign policy expert and India’s ex-ambassador Achal Malhotra said, "India has every reason to be concerned about the docking of the ship which prima facie is supposed to be a survey ship but our security agencies think that it has the capacities to survey our important several ports that could be on China’s radar as well as few other infrastructures of India".
New Delhi was concerned about the possibility of the vessel’s tracking systems attempting to snoop on Indian installations while being on their way to the Sri Lankan port.
Malhotra further reiterated that when the last time the Rajapaksa govt came to power, they had taken the trouble to go on record and say that they will lean both with China and India on economic matters but as far as security issues are concerned, they will adopt an India first policy. But they failed to stick to it.
“Even in the Sri Lankan Parliament, the Lankan President recently had given an update as to given the current economic situation and the current political instability that they are facing in the country, China is as much as important as India. Although he appreciated India’s support, also hinted that they would need China’s help also”, he added.
India had opposed the docking of the Chinese military ship – 'Yuan Wang 5' but Sri Lanka, as it is reeling under a severe economic crisis, needs the support of both India and China. Therefore, it granted the ship permission for a five-day stay in Hambantota, from Aug 11. This can be seen as a triumph for China over India and US.
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The development has sparked worry in India and has raised multiple questions as to what would be the geopolitical implications moving ahead as the ties between India and Sri Lanka had come under strain.
Taking an optimistic stand, ex-ambassador Achal Malhotra opined that “we are leaving in an age where the entire gamut of relationship shouldn't be impacted based on one issue. In a nutshell, there is a need to look at the entirety of the relationship and particularly, in this case, Sri Lanka is responsible for allowing the docking of the ship but it is also under tremendous pressure”.
“The art of diplomacy is to see how the countries can carry forward the relations further by either putting them on a ‘backburner’ or by trying to find out a middle path and this is true of America also,” Malhotra added. He said that there could be some differences in the bilateral relations between India and Sri Lanka but one cannot jeopardize the entire relationship.
Earlier, India had rejected China’s insinuations that New Delhi pressured Colombo against a planned visit by a Chinese research vessel to the Sri Lankan port of Hambantota but asserted that it will take decisions based on its security.
Earlier, in a press briefing, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said Sri Lanka, as a sovereign country, makes its own independent decisions and noted that India would make its judgment on its security concerns based on the prevailing situation in the region, especially in the border areas, seen as a veiled reference to the eastern Ladakh row.
"We reject the insinuations in the statement about India. Sri Lanka is a sovereign country and makes its own independent decisions," Bagchi said when asked about the issue at a media briefing. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on Monday said it was "senseless" to pressure Sri Lanka to prevent the ship's visit to Hambantota.
"About our security concerns, this is the sovereign right of every country. We will make the best judgment in our interest. This naturally takes into account the prevailing situation in our region, especially in the border areas," Bagchi added.
As regards India-China relations, we have consistently emphasized the necessity of mutual respect, mutual sensitivity, and mutual interests as a basis for the development of ties," Bagchi said. On India's ties with Sri Lanka, Bagchi reiterated that New Delhi is fully supportive of the island nation's democracy, stability, and economic recovery.
"Insofar as India-Sri Lanka relations are concerned, you are aware of the centrality that Sri Lanka occupies in our Neighborhood First policy. India also is fully supportive of its democracy, stability, and economic recovery," Bagchi added. It is pertinent to note that India has extended this year unprecedented support of over USD 3. 8 billion for ameliorating the serious economic situation in Sri Lanka.
