Japan offers to boost Sri Lanka security as China makes inroads
Japan has pledged to help strengthen Sri Lanka's maritime security, authorities said on 21 August, in a new sign of efforts to counter China's strategic grip on the Indian Ocean island.
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena thanked Japan's Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera for donating two coast guard patrol craft costing over $11 million in total, his office said in a statement after talks in Colombo.
The statement said: ‘Attention has been drawn to further strengthening maritime security cooperation between Japan and Sri Lanka.’
The visit came a week after the US State Department gave $39 million to strengthen the island's naval capabilities.
Sirisena said he was happy that Onodera, the first Japanese defence minister to visit, was travelling to two strategic ports on the island.
Onodera will visit Hambantota, which Colombo in December 2017 leased to a Chinese state-owned company for 99 years.
The government said it was forced to lease the port for $1.1 billion because it could not service loans from Beijing to build the white-elephant facility agreed by former President Mahinda Rajapakse.
Hambantota, 230kms from Colombo, straddles the world's busiest east-west shipping route and gives China a foothold in a region long dominated by India.
The Japanese minister will also visit Trincomalee, a natural harbour that was the target of Japanese bombing during World War II.
China has edged out Japan as a key funder of ports and other projects in the island in recent years. Sri Lanka has become a key link in its ambitious ‘Belt and Road’ international infrastructure initiative. China has also vowed to keep providing financial help to Sri Lanka.
The International Monetary Fund, which bailed out Sri Lanka in 2016 with a $1.5 billion loan, has warned Colombo over its debt.
More from Defence Notes
-
![Taiwan approved for purchase of $11 billion in weapons from US]()
Taiwan approved for purchase of $11 billion in weapons from US
The US State Department’s approval of a multi-billion-dollar sale of weapons to Taiwan includes tactical mission networks equipment, uncrewed aerial systems, artillery rocket systems and self-propelled howitzers as well as anti-tank guided missiles.
-
![Ireland spells out $2.3 billion shopping list in five-year defence spending plan]()
Ireland spells out $2.3 billion shopping list in five-year defence spending plan
Ireland’s multi-annual investment in capital defence spending is set to rise from €300m in 2026 to €360m in 2029–2030 with major upgrades across land, air, maritime and cyber domains.
-
![Canada to deepen integration of multi-domain capabilities to strengthen its defences]()
Canada to deepen integration of multi-domain capabilities to strengthen its defences
The Canadian Department of National Defence has created new organisations to manage the procurement and integration of all-domain solutions and allocated US$258.33 million to strengthen production capacities.
-
![US National Security Strategy prioritises advanced military capabilities and national industry]()
US National Security Strategy prioritises advanced military capabilities and national industry
The 2025 NSS has emphasised investment in the US nuclear and air defence inventory and national industry, but it leaves multiple unanswered questions on how the White House will implement this approach.
-
![Canada set to look away from its neighbour and across the Atlantic for partners]()
Canada set to look away from its neighbour and across the Atlantic for partners
While non-EU UK struggles to join the Security Action for Europe initiative, which provides loans for defence programmes, Canada has become the first country outside Europe to get access – and did so for a nominal fee.
-
![NATO experiments with solutions to integrate networks, AI and uncrewed systems]()
NATO experiments with solutions to integrate networks, AI and uncrewed systems
During the latest edition of the NATO DiBaX, the alliance tested multiple capabilities to inform requirements for future efforts.
