The Government has decided to introduce a standard operating procedure for granting diplomatic clearance to foreign military vessels and aircraft visiting Sri Lanka. This seems a timely decision given the complexities of the power play in the South Asian region.
South Asia is becoming the venue for intensifying US ̶ China and China ̶ India rivalries while the US is trying to manage these rivalries by collaborating with allies and partners to protect its interests.
Other major powers already having strategic or economic interests in the region such as Japan, Russia, and the European Union as well as particular European countries such as France and the United Kingdom will also play a role.
Being strategically located on an important sea route, Sri Lanka will naturally get dragged into conflicting situations whenever any questionable military vessel, aircraft or submarine visits any of her ports or airports.
Marine scientific research
There are also states and international organizations interested in conducting marine scientific research within Sri Lanka’s territorial waters. There could be such vessels carrying out marine research but sometimes suspected by other nations to be involved in military operations.
We experienced such a situation in August last year when a Chinese research vessel Yuan Wang 5, which India claimed to be a spy ship, was scheduled to visit Hambantota. Sri Lanka got dragged into the centre of a tussle between China and India. The situation got even more complicated with Sri Lanka officially asking China to defer this naval visit in the face of severe opposition from India.
The matter however got resolved after several days of negotiations the Sri Lankan Government had with the relevant stakeholders China, India and the US. However, all the signs are that Sri Lanka will continue to suffer similar diplomatic headaches unless the country finds a way out of the region’s geopolitics.
There was a similar incident previously in 2014, though it did not escalate to the same level when India officially protested to the Government of Sri Lanka over two Chinese submarines separately docking in a Chinese-built terminal in the Port of Colombo.
Growth of terrorism
In the eighties, President J R Jayewardene’s close ties with the United States and poorer relations with India and the growth of LTTE’s terrorism in northern Sri Lanka resulted in a tense situation with India.
The final outcome was the almost forcible entry of Indian forces into the country and the eventual signing of the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord which also had a clause preventing Sri Lankan soil from being used by any third party in a manner prejudicial to India’s national security interests.
All this is clear evidence that we at different stages had mismanaged our regional affairs particularly the relations with our closest neighbour India. The issue has a long history with intermittent invasions from the Indian subcontinent with the Chola Empire once extending its tentacles up to the northern parts of Sri Lanka.
Some of these issues got compounded with tacit support extended by India at one stage to separatist groups in northern Sri Lanka who also received military training in India. In the face of such developments often there had been suspicion between the people as well as leaders of the two countries.
Closest relation
That is one side of the story but there are many reasons why Sri Lanka should maintain a very cordial relationship with its closest neighbour. The historical link from the arrival of Prince Vijaya and the subsequent spread of Buddhism into Sri Lanka from India are sufficient reasons for the two countries to have strong relations with each other. In that sense, India is our closest relation with whom we share a wealth of historical, religious and cultural legacies.
That way Indo – Sri Lanka relations have to be something of a special nature which goes beyond a normal trade or commercial relationship. In a most recent development when Sri Lanka declared official bankruptcy and faced severe shortages of fuel and medicine, India was the only country that came forward with tangible help ̶ a credit line of USD 4 billion and support in all discussions with the International Monetary Fund.
Long-term friend
On the other hand, China is an emerging great power with whom Sri Lanka has had long relations particularly commercial links from the 1950s and is a great friend that we can never afford to lose. China also has come to our aid during difficult times such as the bitter war with the LTTE in the North and East and subsequently helped us in many infrastructure projects.
However, managing and balancing our relations with these two countries have become difficult for Sri Lanka in the face of growing tension between them. China’s entry into Sri Lanka in the last two decades through investments in ports, airports, highways and the Port City has led to India’s suspicion over the possible use of some of these facilities to the detriment of her own security interests.
Given our geographical location and economic priorities we cannot stay clear of this issue and it is important for us to keep our development options as a maritime hub without succumbing to India or China pressures. Our future success will depend on how well we can manage this issue.
The situation becomes further delicate as Sri Lanka is currently in a deep economic mess and we need the assistance and co-operation of both India and China as partners of economic development.
All this is closely linked to China’s efforts to revive the ancient Silk Route through its Belt and Road Initiative in which Hambantota Port is a vital link. It is natural for China to assert her rights and say it is all about freedom of navigation on the high seas and a call at a port is a part of that. It is a larger regional issue beyond the capacity of Sri Lanka to resolve.
Balancing these two factors requires the best of diplomatic skills. Diplomacy with much professionalism and political maturity on the part of our leaders is a vital necessity for Sri Lanka and it will become more so in time to come. Only a neutral but proactive and clear-cut foreign policy with emphasis on strategic, regional and global affairs will help the country to avoid facing unwanted issues in the future.
Maritime hub
Strengthening our economic relations beyond India and China is vital in our efforts to become an international maritime hub and Japan is an important first step in that direction. Then the next step should be to involve the likes of British, European, US and South Korean investors in vital sectors such as shipping and power and it is only by doing so Sri Lanka can extricate itself out of this Indo-Chinese power struggle. Sri Lanka needs to emerge as a safe maritime service centre for all and not just for India and China.
Gamini Abeywardane
