Sri Lanka allows Chinese 'spy' ship to stop at port near India

Sri Lanka's government has allowed a controversial Chinese research vessel to visit the island, despite India's concerns that it might spy on New Delhi's military installations. The news agency AFP has told this quoting officials. The Yuan Wang 5 has been touted by international shipping and analytics sites as a research and survey vessel, but is also known as a dual-use spy ship.

Sri Lanka's Port Master Nirmal P Silva said that they have received the approval of the Ministry of External Affairs to call the ship to Hambantota from August 16 to 22. "Today I got diplomatic clearance. We will work with the local agent appointed by the ship to ensure logistics at the port," Silva told AFP.

Foreign Ministry sources confirmed Colombo had given fresh permission for the visit, which was initially granted on July 12, a day before former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled after months of protests over the country's worst economic crisis. was given.

Rajapaksa, whose brother Mahinda had borrowed heavily from China when he was president from 2005 to 2015, resigned after fleeing to Singapore. Thousands of protesters stormed his residence in Colombo after accusing him of mismanagement in the economic crisis. There was a severe shortage of food, fuel and medicines.

According to Indian government sources, the Yuan Wang 5 could be employed for space and satellite tracking, and has specific uses in intercontinental ballistic missile launches. The Ministry of External Affairs said it would "closely monitor any impact on India's security and economic interests and take all necessary measures to protect them."