A proposed joint naval exercise between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, set to take place off the coast of Trincomalee, was quietly scrapped following strong objections from India, sources familiar with the matter revealed. The move comes amid heightened geopolitical sensitivity in the region, particularly following the signing of a landmark defence cooperation agreement between India and Sri Lanka earlier this month.
The Pakistan Navy had sought to conduct the drill in the waters surrounding Trincomalee, a strategic port city on Sri Lanka’s eastern coast, where India is helping develop a major energy hub through a new tripartite agreement involving the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Indian officials reportedly viewed the timing and location of the proposed drill as a calculated provocation, especially given Islamabad’s close ties with Beijing and China’s growing naval footprint in the region.
Once alerted, the Indian High Commission in Colombo swiftly communicated New Delhi’s concerns to Sri Lankan authorities, emphasizing India’s strategic stakes in the area. Responding to this, Sri Lanka cancelled the joint exercise despite reported protests from the Pakistani side.
Though the exact dates of the planned exercise remain unclear, a Pakistan Navy frigate, PNS Aslat, visited Colombo between February and early March. During its stay, the vessel conducted a “passex” (passing exercise) with a Sri Lankan Navy ship off Colombo’s coast, focusing on communication and tactical maneuvers.
India has long taken issue with visits by Chinese and Pakistani warships to Sri Lankan ports, particularly following China’s 99-year lease over Hambantota port. In December 2023, Sri Lanka imposed a moratorium on foreign research vessels visiting its ports, largely due to Chinese surveillance ships. The ban, however, has not yet clarified the status of future visits by military vessels.
The scrapping of the Pakistan-Sri Lanka naval drill coincided with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka, where both nations signed a significant MoU to formalize and expand defence ties. This marks the first major update to their defence cooperation since India’s intervention in Sri Lanka’s civil war in the late 1980s.
A separate tripartite agreement involving India, Sri Lanka, and the UAE was also signed during Modi’s visit. It outlines the development of an energy hub in Trincomalee, including a multi-product pipeline and expansion of the World War II-era oil tank farm. The farm is partly managed by Lanka IOC, the Sri Lankan arm of Indian Oil Corporation.
The agreement is seen as a strategic counter to China’s recent $3.2 billion deal with Sinopec to build an oil refinery in Hambantota. With these developments, India appears intent on reinforcing its strategic and economic footprint in Sri Lanka amid intensifying regional rivalry.
Sources By Agencies
