Sri Lanka should continue to refrain from hosting any foreign military bases as it needs to maintain good relations with all global powers, especially India, and stay out of geopolitical tensions, Admiral Ravindra Chandrasiri Wijegunaratne, the former сhief of defence staff of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces and the Sri Lankan Navy's commander, told Sputnik
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 31st December, 2020) Sri Lanka should continue to refrain from hosting any foreign military bases as it needs to maintain good relations with all global powers, especially India, and stay out of geopolitical tensions, Admiral Ravindra Chandrasiri Wijegunaratne, the former сhief of defence staff of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces and the Sri Lankan Navy's commander, told Sputnik.
"No foreign bases will be the best answer with our own domestic and international issues. Sri Lanka is vital to strategic stake for India, it cannot afford to be the national sovereignty and security concern to India. Our leaders will strictly follow a 'non-aligned' status at all times. Sri Lanka is a very attractive tourist destination. We want to be friend of all and have no enemies," Wijegunaratne said.
Despite Sri Lanka's strategic location in the middle of major trade routes in the Indian Ocean, it "comes with some challenges to be a non-aligned neutral nation and to navigate carefully in this complex geopolitical and potential future area of conflict of interest," the former military official stressed.
Over the years, there have been reports that the United States might be seeking to set up a military base in Sri Lanka. At the same time, the US leadership has accused China of trying to create a military base at the Hambantota Port, which Colombo leased to Beijing for 99 years after failing to repay the debts. However, the Sri Lankan authorities have maintained that the port is used only for commercial purposes.
