Colombo: A planned joint naval exercise between Pakistan and Sri Lanka near the strategic Trincomalee harbour was quietly cancelled following security concerns raised by India, according to PTI sources.
The drill, part of regular military exchanges between Colombo and Islamabad, was scrapped weeks ago, reportedly after India directly communicated its objections to Sri Lankan authorities. The timing of the planned exercise—just ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Colombo—further heightened New Delhi’s sensitivity.
Trincomalee, located on Sri Lanka’s northeastern coast, holds strategic significance in the Bay of Bengal region. Analysts link India’s concern to Pakistan’s naval ties with China, which could potentially increase Chinese maritime influence in the area.
This move follows past Indian objections, including over the docking of Chinese tracking ships in Sri Lankan ports in 2022 and 2023.
India has since deepened its engagement in Sri Lanka, particularly in Trincomalee, with a landmark trilateral agreement involving Sri Lanka and the UAE to develop it into a regional energy hub. During Modi’s visit, a defence cooperation pact was also signed, bolstering security ties and marking a major strategic milestone since the Indian Peace Keeping Force’s controversial deployment in the 1980s.
