India's spying concerns to the fore again as Sri Lanka allows Chinese vessel to carry out 'research'
The Sri Lankan foreign ministry said on October 29 that a Chinese vessel has been granted permission to carry out marine research off the island's west coast under supervision. India has concerns that it could be a spy ship.
Local scientists will be onboard Shi Yan 6 during two days of research activities, the ministry said.
Before this, the vessel was being only allowed to enter the main port of Colombo for «replenishments» in view of India's concerns.
India has for some time been uneasy over China's rising presence in the Indian Ocean and its influence in Sri Lanka.
Last year, a spacecraft-tracking Chinese vessel last year had raised security concerns in India.
Foll0wing India's concerns, Sri Lanka barred it from doing any research activities in its waters.
During the two days of activities, the Sri Lanka navy too will be monitoring the vessel, the ministry said.
The 90-metre (300-foot) vessel is anchored at the Colombo harbour where a Chinese company runs a deep sea terminal.
A pair of Chinese submarines had docked there in 2014, something India had protested.
There was no immediate comment from either the Chinese or Indian diplomatic missions in Sri Lanka after Colombo granted limited approvals to Shi Yan 6.
According to Chinese state broadcaster CGTN, the «Shi Yan 6 a „scientific research vessel“ with a crew of 60 to conduct oceanography, geology and marine ecology tests.»
Another Chinese research vessel, Yuan Wang 5, which New Delhi views as a spy ship, had visited Sri Lanka in 2022. It docked in Hambantota, a port in Sri Lanka's south under a 99-year lease to the Chinese company that built it after Colombo was unable to service a $1.4 billion loan taken for the project.
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