China has no military presence in Lanka: SL assures India

Sri Lanka's Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Jayantha Perera on Monday allayed India's fears on increasing Chinese military presence in the island nation, as he categorically stated that his nation will never compromise on India's national security or for that matter of any other country.

"We have very good co-operation with India. We will never compromise on national security of India. India's security is our security. Not only Chinese, even the Russians and other countries also we have very good relationship, we are non-aligned country," Sri Lanka's Navy Chief told ANI.

Perera also tried to assuage India concerns downplaying China making any strategic inroads into the region.

"They are coming normally for operational goodwill visit... For your information there is no Chinese military presence.... the interest is very commercial," he said.

Calling himself as a friend of India, Perera thanked India for lending its support to end the ethnic conflict in the island nation, which he said is now marching towards economic revival.

"I must thank India. They whole heartedly supported to relegate terrorism, now we are very fast track on development and because of that there are lot of investors coming here in Sri Lanka purely on commercial and we will never compromise on security of any other country, especially India, because I am a personal friend of India..." he added.

Perera also ruled out any Chinese nuclear submarine docked in Sri Lanka stating that they are all conventional submarines.

"It is a conventional submarine, not a nuclear submarine," Perera said.

Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka's Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Jayantha Perera, who is on a five-day official visit to India inspected a guard of honour on Monday here at the South Block.

Vice Admiral Perera is visiting India at the invitation of his Indian counterpart Admiral R.K. Dhowan.

Perera's visit to India is taking place soon after the visit of Sri Lankan Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa's meeting with the Indian Defense Minister Arun Jaitley on October 20 in New Delhi.

India is reportedly planning to supply two naval offshore patrol vessels and other military equipment to Sri Lanka.

Officials of the Sri Lanka Navy and Indian Navy will also participate in discussions to further strengthen bilateral ties between both Navies.

Tamil Nadu Tamil political parties have expressed opposition to Vice Admiral Jayantha Perera 's visit to India.

Source: ANI