Colombo, 13/8: Sri Lanka’s government granted permission on Saturday for a controversial Chinese research vessel to visit the island despite neighbouring India’s concerns that it could spy on its military installations, officials said.
The Yuan Wang 5 is described as a research and survey vessel by international shipping and analytics sites, but according to Indian media it is a dual-use spy ship.
New Delhi is suspicious of Beijing’s increasing presence in the Indian Ocean and influence in Sri Lanka, seeing both as being firmly within its sphere of influence.