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Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Indian Navy, who is in Colombo on a four-day visit, will call on President Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Indian mission said on Tuesday, amid persisting concerns in New Delhi over a Chinese military vessel “re-entering” the Indian Ocean Region.
Admiral Hari Kumar arrived in Colombo on Monday at the invitation of Vice-Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne, Commander of Sri Lanka Navy, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said. During the visit, the CNS is scheduled to call on President Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and Minister of State for Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon and meet senior military officials.
The Admiral is also scheduled to participate as the Chief Guest at the passing out parade of Sri Lanka’s Naval and Maritime Academy, in the Eastern Trincomalee district on December 15, the High Commission said in a statement.
Training engagements
“Indigenous Indian Naval Ship Sahyadri, a multi-role missile frigate of the Indian Navy is also scheduled to make port call at Colombo (December 13) to complement the visit of the Indian Navy Chief. The ship would engage in training engagements with Sri Lanka Navy and participate in Maritime Partnership Exercises with Sri Lanka Navy,” it said.
The visit comes even as Indian authorities reportedly flagged Chinese military vessel ‘Yuan Wang 5’ “re-entering” the Indian Ocean Region last week. While there was no official comment immediately, a PTI report said the Indian Navy was “keeping an eye” on the movement of the Chinese satellite tracking ship.
In August this year, the same vessel became a source of diplomatic strain after Sri Lanka approved its arrival to the southern Chinese-funded Hambantota port, despite India raising concern. Later, Sri Lanka requested China to defer the arrival of the ship. Apart from India, the United States, too, had conveyed its apprehensions to Sri Lankan authorities at the highest levels.
(Meera Srinivasan is The Hindu Correspondent in Colombo)
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