Explained: Why India frowns on Chinese ship docking at Lankan port

After India voiced its deep concerns over the docking of Chinese research and survey vessel Yuan Wang 5 at Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port, the beleaguered island nation, which first tried to underplay the ship’s visit as “nothing unusual”, finally backtracked and requested China to defer its arrival.

Sri Lanka, which is currently tackling a very serious economic crisis, had initially brushed aside India’s anxiety over “security concerns”, saying the Yuan Wang 5 was only stopping at the port for “bunkering”.

But, the Chinese ship’s visit, scheduled for Thursday (August 11) at the Hambantota port, which is financed with Chinese loans, built by a Chinese firm and currently leased to China Merchant Port Holdings after Sri Lanka was unable to repay the loans, will not happen for now. 

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The Sri Lankan foreign ministry spokesperson shared with the media on Monday (August 8) that they have submitted a request to China to defer the ship’s arrival.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin slammed Sri Lanka’s decision and blamed the “gross interference” of other countries. He said Chinese research ships have regularly stopped in Sri Lanka for resupply and that cooperation between the two countries is normal.  Wang added that it was “unreasonable” and “senseless” for a third party to put pressure on Sri Lanka on the grounds of so-called security concerns.

What are India’s concerns?

India, whose relations soured with China after a clash in the Galwan valley in June 2020, is worried that the Chinese-built and leased port of Hambantota will be used by Beijing as a military base in India’s backyard.

Moreover, the $1.5 billion port is near the main shipping route from Asia to Europe. Situated in the hometown of the ousted but powerful Rajapaksa family, most of the Hambantota port was constructed using loans from China. It is currently leased to China Merchant Port Holdings after Sri Lanka could not repay the debts. All of this has led India to fear the potential use of the port for military purposes.

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India remains suspicious of China’s growing influence in Sri Lanka, which owes large amounts of money to Beijing for the construction of its infrastructure projects. Also, India wants to protect its strategic interests in the Indian Ocean region, wary of China’s constant efforts to increase its influence in the area.

Is the space-tracking ship particularly worrisome?

Foreign security analysts have labelled Yuan Wang 5 one of China’s latest space-tracking ships, which can be used to monitor satellite, rocket and intercontinental ballistic missile launches. Some reports alleged that it is a dual-use spy vessel, employed for space and satellite tracking and with specific usage in intercontinental ballistic missile launches.

It may not be a military ship but it can be sent to carry out missile tests, said news reports. With an aerial reach of more than 750 km, the ship can allegedly spy on  Kalpakkam, Koodankulam, and atomic research centres within Indian borders. It can also track ports of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh and gather vital information from installations in south India.

What was India’s official stand on the vessel’s visit?

External affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told the media that they were aware of reports of a proposed visit by this vessel to Hambantota in August. And that the government will carefully “monitor any development” that has a bearing on India’s security and economic interests and take all necessary measures to safeguard them. To which China gave a rebuttal that it hoped “relevant parties” would refrain from interfering with its “legitimate maritime activities”.

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How’s Sri Lanka doing the balancing act?

Sri Lanka has had to maintain a fine balancing act between China and India. As the country battles with an economic crisis with zero foreign reserves, it needs the cooperation from Beijing, which is its key creditor. It has now turned to the International Monetary Fund to bail it out of this crisis and restructure its huge debt.

Meanwhile, India too has provided nearly $4 billion in aid to Sri Lanka this year, including shipments of fuel and food.

Sri Lanka was in a predicament, according to Bandula Gunawardena, a government spokesperson. “Both India and China are helping us at this very crucial time when we are facing an unprecedented economic crisis,” he said. He added that his government is trying to resolve the matter in a diplomatic manner by talking to all sides. “Both are important friends,” he stressed.

Has this situation cropped up before?

While playing down the Chinese vessel visit, Sri Lankan minister Manusha Nanayakkara pointed out that 18 previous such port visits to Sri Lanka had been made by Chinese research vessels. It is true that in the past, Sri Lanka has allowed not just Chinese research vessels.

In 2014, Sri Lanka allowed Chinese nuclear-powered submarine Changzheng 2 in Colombo and it had led to diplomatic tensions soaring with New Delhi. Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was then secretary to the ministry of defence, had to even fly down to India to meet with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval to discuss the matter.

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What is Beijing saying now?

Predictably, China was upset. It described India’s opposition to the docking of a Chinese ship at a Sri Lankan port as senseless. It was “morally irresponsible” and against the norms of international relations for countries to “exploit vulnerabilities” of Sri Lanka at a time when it is dealing with economic and political crises, said Beijing.

China urged relevant parties to see its scientific explorations in a reasonable and sensible way and stop disturbing normal exchanges between Beijing and Colombo. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said, “Sri Lanka is a sovereign state. It can develop relations with other countries in the light of its own development interests. The cooperation between China and Sri Lanka is independently chosen by the two countries and meets common interests.”

Sri Lanka is a transport hub in the Indian Ocean, Wang said, adding that many scientific exploration ships including those from China have stopped at Sri Lankan ports for resupplies. “China has always exercised the freedom of navigation in the high seas and fully respects and fully respects the jurisdiction of coastal states of the scientific exploration activities within their jurisdiction waters,” Wang added.

Postscript: Yuan Wang 5, after setting sail from the Chinese port of Jiangyin on July 13 and crossing the East China Sea, was expected to dock in Sri Lanka from August 11 to August 17. It was meant to stop for “replenishment”, while the vessel continued to conduct space and satellite control and research activities of China’s satellites in the north-western part of the Indian Ocean region. This, in short, has been stalled.