New Delhi, India

The Chinese research vessel Yuan Wang 5 arrived at Sri Lanka's Hambantota port on Tuesday, ostensibly for resupply. It is scheduled to stay there from August 16 to 22. The presence of the ship has generated a great deal of controversy, especially when India warned Sri Lanka about possible Chinese espionage. Despite India's concerns being heard, the island country decided to allow the Yuan Wang 5 to dock, but on a date other than the August 11 arrival date that was originally planned.

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The 'spy' ship

The Yuan Wang 5 is a third-generation ship in a line of ships that went into service in 2007 to serve China's human space programme. It is 222 metres long and 25.2 metres wide. The ship is a cutting-edge satellite and missile tracking vessel. 

The Yuan Wang 5 can track the launch of satellites, rockets, and intercontinental ballistic missiles, conduct transoceanic aerospace observation using satellite images, and transfer data to tracking stations in Beijing and around China.

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Guise of 'research ship'

The Yuan Wang 5 has a stellar track record after being in use for several months. The launch of China's Long March 5B rocket last month was the subject of the ship's most recent observation trip. It recently participated in maritime monitoring of China's Tiangong Space Station's first lab module launch. 

The Yuan Wang 5 was under the command of the Chinese Navy, officially known as the People's Liberation Army Navy, according to the US Department of Defense. China claimed that the ship was a research vessel.

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Why Hambantota?

After the Port of Colombo, Hambantota is the second-largest port in Sri Lanka. It started operating in 2010 before being privatised and leased to China for 99 years in 2017. Many believe this was a result of China's "debt trap" diplomacy.

The Malacca Straits and the Suez Canal, which connect Asia with Europe and are utilised by 36,000 ships yearly, including thousands of oil tankers, are located 10 nautical miles from the Hambantota Port. The Hambantota Port is one of Sri Lanka's most varied deep-water ports because of its close proximity to the route used for a major portion of the maritime oil trade. 

Additionally, the Hambantota Port is strategically significant due to its proximity to the southernmost point of India, particularly in terms of long-range spying and espionage.

India's concerns

Given the ship's cutting-edge equipment and reported 750km aerial observation range, its presence in Hambantota may theoretically enable it to spy on defence sites in southern India. 

China might utilise the Yuan Wang 5 to spy on military bases, ports, and nuclear power plants in Kalpakkam and Kudankulam, the latter of which is India's largest nuclear power facility, as well as in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh.

Sarabananda Sonowal, India's Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, stated on August 14 that India was prepared to handle any security threat brought on by the ship's presence in Sri Lanka "We are well equipped and well prepared to handle any kind of situation effectively under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. That is clear."

(with inputs from agencies)