The Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry recently confirmed allowing a German research vessel, the Sonne, to dock at Colombo Port. This raised eyebrows among some observers, considering that just a few months ago, the Sri Lankan government announced a one-year moratorium on foreign research vessels docking at its ports. At the time of the ban, Sri … Read more
In September 2019, the Indian Navy drove away the Shiyan 1, a Chinese research vessel that had been caught operating without authorization in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off the coast of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. This move was undertaken in line with Article 246 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of … Read more
Around a week ago, news emerged of the Chinese research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 03 arriving in the Maldives sometime in late January or early February. China had sought permission from Sri Lanka last year to have the same vessel dock at a Sri Lankan port for replenishment purposes. However, facing strong opposition from India … Read more
In recent months, Sri Lanka has found itself at the center of an escalating geopolitical storm, which seems to have prompted it to impose a one-year moratorium on foreign research vessels. Behind this seemingly local decision looms the intensifying tensions between China and the Quad, an alliance comprising the United States, India, Japan, and Australia. … Read more