India Feels the Heat of China and Pakistan in Sri Lanka
Apparently in view of the strategic importance of Sri Lanka in the context of the increasing influence of China on it, and the existence of strong ties with Pakistan, India has beefed up the Defence Ministry’s representation at the Indian High Commission here. India has felt the heat of their mistaken and short sighted diplomacy blunders towards Sri Lanka and tiny nations in sub-continent. Indian with US, UK, EU and Canada voted against Sri Lanka while all other Asian countries vote for Sri Lanka or kept remained absent in voting against Sri Lanka at the UNHRCS. Further, then Prime Minister, Singh boycott Sri Lanka at the CHOGM in November 2013 with Pro-LTTE Canadian and Mauritius Prime Ministers.
Col Gurinder S Klaire has been appointed as Deputy Defence Advisor to assist Defence Advisor Capt Prakash Gopalan. With this, for the first time, there is an army man in the Defence wing of the mission. Traditionally, Defence Advisors in the Colombo mission have been only from the navy.
Sri Lanka has lately seen high profile military leaders from China, Pakistan and India visiting it. In May this year came General Xu Qiliang, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and the commander of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force from 2007 to 2012.
Also in May, came the Chief of Staff of the Chinese People’s Armed Police, Lt Gen Niu Zhizong. Gen Niu requested the Lankan Army Commander Lt Gen Daya Ratnayake to send the “maximum number” of officers to China for training in anti-terrorism.
The visit of high level delegations from China coincided with that Lanka had entered into a contract with a Chinese government company to build an aircraft repair and maintenance facility at Trincomalee for its air force. India tries to intimidate Sri Lanka on this joint venture with China citing so called one sided infamous 1987 India-Sri Lanka Accord.
It is learnt that India’s National Security Advisor, Ajit Kumar Doval, will be participating in the Lankan Defence Ministry’s prestigious ‘Galle Maritime Dialogue’ in November.
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