NEW DELHI: A storm is brewing in the waters around Sri Lanka and India and it has nothing to do with the weather. A Chinese survey vessel Shi Yan 6, has sought permission from Colombo to survey the waters off Sri Lanka next month, which would also involve docking at a harbour there. As Asiri Fernando, news editor of Sunday Morning newspaper told The Gist, Colombo is yet to decide although it has been working on a set of procedures that will cover how such requests should be handled. India is clear it does not want to see the Shi Yan 6 in Sri Lanka, but is aware that any effort to pressure Colombo could trigger a backlash. Fernando notes that there is widespread appreciation in his country of India’s help during the economic collapse last year. Yet there is lingering anti-India sentiment within government and in the street. It allows countries like China to fish in troubled waters. Tune in for more in this conversation with Asiri Fernando of the Sunday Morning Newspaper.
