After protests from China over the docking of a German research vessel while rejecting a similar request from Beijing, Sri Lanka has declared its intention to permit foreign offshore research ships for replenishments at its ports.
This decision marks a significant shift since President Ranil Wickremesinghe's government imposed a one-year ban on such vessels in December last year, following heightened security concerns raised by India and the US.
Niluka Kadurugamuwa, spokesperson for Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry, clarified that while the ban on foreign ships remains for research purposes, replenishment activities are exempted.
"There was a German research vessel recently for replenishment, and Sri Lanka allowed it," Kadurugamuwa stated.
The Chinese Embassy in Colombo strongly objected to the docking of the German research vessel earlier this month after Sri Lankan authorities rejected Beijing's request for a similar vessel in February.
Diplomatic sources revealed that China's protest was fueled by perceived Indian pressure, as Sri Lanka's ban coincided with Indian concerns regarding Chinese activities in the region.
Sri Lanka is currently devising a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for handling foreign research vessels, aiming to provide clarity on such matters in the future.
The ban on offshore research vessels was instated after two Chinese spy ships were permitted to dock in Sri Lanka within a span of 14 months, drawing ire from India.
In October 2023, the Chinese research ship Shi Yan 6 docked at Colombo port for purported "geophysical scientific research," while in August 2022, the Chinese navy vessel Yuan Wang 5 was allowed replenishment at Hambantota port.
India voiced concerns over potential security risks posed by these activities, particularly apprehensive about Chinese vessels' tracking systems monitoring Indian defense installations in the Indian Ocean region.
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