As China flexes military muscles, important for India to engage Sri Lanka in economic and defense realms: Expert

In an interview with ETV Bharat, a strategic expert said that Defense Minister Rajnath Singh's visit will certainly send out a message that in the face of regular Chinese ships docking in Sri Lanka, it is the island nation’s sovereign decision to allow ships to dock in its water. Reports ETV Bharat's Chandrakala Choudhary

New Delhi: Defense Minister Rajnath Singh will embark on a two-day visit to Sri Lanka on Saturday, September 2. His visit comes amid China’s hegemonic strategy of docking warships at the Colombo port recently.

Last year, the docking of the Chinese missile and satellite tracking ship ‘Yuan Wang’ at Hambantota port in August raised a diplomatic concern in New Delhi and the bilateral relations with Sri Lanka were at stake. However, India has been expanding its overall strategic ties with Sri Lanka amid China’s growing influence in the region.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to Sri Lanka is seen as a significant one as it will set the tone for building strong relations between the two nations and will push defence cooperation.

A strategic expert told ETV Bharat that the Defense Minister’s visit will certainly send out a message that in the face of regular Chinese ships docking in Sri Lanka, it is the island nation’s sovereign decision to allow ships to dock in its water. "Ultimately, Sri Lanka will have to carefully assess the cost and consequences of such a policy and for India, it would be important to engage Sri Lanka substantively on defence and security matters and both on economic and defence realms," said Prof Harsh Pant, Vice-President for Studies at Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi.

He explained that there is much that India and Sri Lanka can do together, whether it is in maintaining regional stability in the Indian Ocean or in working together with other like-minded countries, to ensure that there is a stable balance of power in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), as both the countries move forward in their defence ties, adding, “It is unlikely that the China factor will disappear anytime soon but, for India, the issue in the coming years will be how do we continue to engage Sri Lanka constructively even as China continues to push for a higher profile in the IOR”.

According to the statement issued by the Sri Lankan Defense Ministry, Rajnath Singh will hold talks with President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. It said that the entire gamut of defence ties between the two countries would be reviewed during the meetings. Rajnath Singh is also slated to visit Nuwara Elia in Central Sri Lanka and Trincomalee which is located in the eastern part of the country.

"The visit of Rajnath Singh will reiterate India’s continued commitment to furthering the existing warm and friendly relations with Sri Lanka”, the ministry said. It noted that his visit would be an important landmark in building the strong bond of friendship between the two countries.

India has been steadfast and was the first country to come to the rescue and help the island nation deal with the severe economic crisis. New Delhi extended financial assistance worth around USD four billion to Sri Lanka, including lines of credit, for purchases of food and fuel when it was hit by the extreme crisis. India also provided guarantees to the International Monetary Fund to help the island nation secure a USD 2.9 billion bailout package.

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe visited India in July this year during which both sides committed to further augment their defence and strategic ties. It was in fact the first visit by a Sri Lankan leader since the island nation was hit by a severe economic crisis last year.