What kind of 'game' is this of the Dragon in Sri Lankan waters? Know the meaning of the presence of Indo-Chinese warships

The history of the Cold War is linked to

Major nations have been poking their noses into Sri Lanka since the Cold War era. As a result, the island nation has often been left out strategically. India was never happy with the US securing the location of the US relay station in Sri Lanka. It is believed that the US needed it to keep an eye on the sea routes of the Indian Ocean. Keeping an eye on the Soviet Navy was the main purpose at the time. This is described today as the Indo-Pacific theater.

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Sri Lanka emerged as a naval hub

Sri Lanka has emerged as a hub for naval visits from several countries. This strategy not only leveraged the island nation’s geographical location but also helped Colombo shift to a multi-alignment posture. From 2009 to 2020, over 525 warships visited Sri Lanka. Of these, 110 were from India, 80 from Japan and 40 from China. Thus, Sri Lanka serving as a port of call for international navies is not new.

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The Rise of the Chinese Sea Dragon

China's rise as a naval power and its massive deployment of warships in the Indian Ocean region has changed the game. China today has the largest navy in the world. It comprises over 360 warships and submarines. India has only 140 warships. Moreover, a large Chinese maritime militia has been at the forefront of Beijing's aggressive strategy in the South China Sea. China's communist leaders are not just doing this to feel good. They see China's geographic perimeter as a seascape with multiple maritime chokepoints. The Strait of Malacca and the Strait of Tsushima are some of the reasons. Beijing's strategy is to counter any move by the US and allies to encircle itself and close off its trade and supply routes

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Chinese intrusion into the Exclusive Economic Zones of neighbouring countries

As a result, China is overstepping the boundaries of freedom of navigation and maritime sovereignty in large parts of the Indo-Pacific. It is intruding into the exclusive economic zones of maritime neighbours such as the Philippines and Vietnam. China is building and militarising artificial islands and deploying a series of spy ships under the guise of research vessels. Recall the docking of the Chinese 'research ship' Yuan Wang 5 in Hambantota, Sri Lanka in 2022. India objected to the ship's presence in its strategically important region. However, today China has an almost permanent presence in the Indian Ocean region through its research and survey vessels. These map marine data that are useful for naval operations.

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Chinese influence in Sri Lanka

China's influence in Sri Lanka runs deep. Despite the Argalaya protests in the summer of 2022, Rajapaksa remains a force in Sri Lankan politics. When he was in power, he and his political allies pursued Chinese interests, taking out large Chinese loans to finance white elephant projects. Those loans contributed to Colombo's economic woes. Although President Ranil Wickremesinghe has steadied Sri Lanka's economic ship, China's determination to extend its influence in the Indian Ocean region has again put Sri Lankan politicians in a position where they are unable to resist Chinese money. This could again facilitate a greater Chinese naval presence in the region.

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How is this a headache for India?

All this is a strategic-security dilemma for India. Its troops are still deployed against the Chinese PLA in the upper reaches of the Himalayas in eastern Ladakh. The southern Chinese threat in addition to the northern China-Pakistan combination is exactly what New Delhi does not want.