India sends submarine to Sri Lanka ahead of Chinese spy ship's visit to the Maldives

New Delhi: The Indian Navy sent the submarine INS Karanj to one of Sri Lanka's main ports, conveying a message to Beijing and Malé, even as the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s spy ship Xiang Yang Hong 3 continued sailing towards the Maldives.

As the INS Karanj, a diesel-electric submarine of the Indian Navy, arrived at the Colombo Port on Saturday, the Sri Lankan Navy accorded it a ceremonial welcome. New Delhi’s envoy to Colombo, Santosh Jha, visited the submarine and interacted with the commanding officer, Commander Arunabh, and his crew. Around 100 nominated personnel of the Sri Lankan Navy were briefed about the submarine onboard. The commanding officer called on Rear Admiral Saman Perera, the Commander of the Western Naval Area of the Sri Lankan Navy, later.

The submarine will depart from the Colombo Port on Monday, according to a press release issued by the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka's capital.

The Indian Navy sent the submarine to Colombo, coinciding with the Independence Day of Sri Lanka. This move was apparently aimed at highlighting India’s role as the primary security provider in the Indian Ocean region and sending a message to China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA Navy), which has recently increased its activities in the maritime neighborhood of India.

The INS Karanj docked at the Colombo Port ahead of the arrival of the Chinese PLA Navy’s ‘research vessel’, Xiang Yang Hong 3, in Malé.

President Mohamed Muizzu’s government in Malé on January 23 accepted Beijing’s diplomatic request to allow the 'research vessel' to dock at the main port of the Maldives, disregarding India's security concerns.

The Xiang Yang Hong 3 sailed from Sanya Port in southern China on January 16. It is expected to arrive at Malé on February 8.

The Chinese PLA Navy uses its ‘research vessels’ not only for hydrographic surveys and charting underwater paths for its submarines but also for monitoring missiles or satellites test-fired from the locations in the vicinity, as well as for keeping watch on military installations in nearby countries. New Delhi had conveyed its concerns to the Sri Lankan government when two research vessels of the Chinese PLA Navy – Yuan Wang 5 and Shi Yan 6 – had been allowed to dock at Hambantota and Colombo ports of the island nation in August 2022 and October 2023 respectively.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government has recently decided not to allow China’s research vessels to dock at the ports of Sri Lanka or operate in the exclusive economic zone of the country for a year.

In response, Beijing has chosen to leverage its friendly relations with Muizzu’s regime in Malé, opting to use the ports of the Maldives for docking the research vessels of the Chinese PLA Navy.

New Delhi’s relations with Malé entered tumultuous waters after Muizzu assumed the presidency of the Maldives and began steering the island nation closer to China. This marked a reversal of his predecessor Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s ‘India First’ policy, which considered India as the preferred development partner of the Maldives. Furthermore, Muizzu compelled New Delhi to commit to withdrawing all its military personnel deployed in the Maldives. These personnel were primarily engaged in operating and maintaining the aircraft and helicopters provided by India for humanitarian services and emergency medical evacuations from the distant islands of the country.

India is also worried over the possibility of China building an ocean observatory at Makunudhoo in the Maldives.

The strains in the relationship between New Delhi and Malé were further exacerbated by a video showing armed men from the Indian Coast Guard aboard three fishing vessels of the Maldives. Muizzu’s government sought an explanation from New Delhi regarding the incident.

The INS Karanj, the third submarine of the Kalveri class, was commissioned into the Indian Navy on March 10, 2021. This marks the first foreign port call for the INS Karanj since its commissioning. Previously, another Kalveri class submarine, INS Vagir, visited Colombo on the occasion of the International Day of Yoga in June 2023.

The visit by the INS Karanj to the Colombo Port is designated as an Operational Turn Around (OTR), during which the submarine will replenish fuel and provisions.