Overview

• A planned Pakistan-Sri Lanka naval drill near Trincomalee was cancelled after India raised security concerns with Sri Lankan authorities.
• The cancellation comes weeks after Prime Minister Modi's visit to Sri Lanka, where a defense cooperation agreement was signed—the first since the 1980s.
• India, Sri Lanka, and the UAE also finalized a tripartite agreement to develop Trincomalee as a major energy hub, including a multi-product pipeline.
• Sri Lanka’s decision aligns with its 2024 moratorium on foreign research vessels, addressing concerns over surveillance by Chinese and Pakistani ships.
• Trincomalee’s strategic location in the Indian Ocean underscores its importance in regional power dynamics between India, China, and Pakistan.