India transfer to Sri Lanka to a maritime reconnaissance aircraft

According to news on the 15th of the Indian Senior Commissioner in Sri Lanka, India's ceremony to Sri Lanka handed over a Donier 228 aircraft was held on the same day. Indian media said on the 15th that the Donier 228 aircraft of the dual engine was manufactured by Indianstan Airlines and was widely used by the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard for maritime surveillance.

India's Livemint website reported on the 15th that Sri Lanka President Vicramaxinha attended the aircraft transfer ceremony held at the Sri Lanka Katarak Air Force Base on the same day. Navy Deputy Commander Gulmad. The Ambassador of India stated at the ceremony that the Indian Sri Lanka transferred to the Donier 228 maritime reconnaissance aircraft was the latest contribution to the Indian side to strengthen the security cooperation between the two countries.

The Indian Times said on the 15th that Sri Lanka asked India to provide two Donier 228 aircraft in 2018 to enhance maritime surveillance capabilities. According to the previous agreement between India, Sri Lanka will purchase a new aircraft from India, and the other new plane will be presented by India. These two aircraft are currently manufacturing and not yet completed in the Indian factories. The aircraft transferred on the 15th was temporarily delivered by the Indian Navy to the Siege, the purpose was to meet the demand of the Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka media "Sunday" previously reported that the aircraft was in active duty from the Indian Navy and had been serving for two years. The Sri Lanka Air Force sent 15 crew members to India for relevant training as early as April this year. The aircraft will be maintained by Sri Land in the supervision and guidance of Indian engineers.

It is worth noting that the day after the Indian direction was handed over to the aircraft, the Chinese science ship "Yuanwang No. 5" will stop at the port of Hanba Tota, Sri Lanka for supply operations. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin confirmed on the 15th that Sri Lanka had permitted to Hong Kong to "Yuanwang 5". Many Indian media linked two things when the Indian direction was transferred to the aircraft.

In response, Qian Feng, an expert in South Asia and the director of the research department of the National Strategy Research Institute of Tsinghua University, told the Global Times reporter on the 15th that some Indian media have always been "highly alert" on China's influence. In the recent period of stopping the stop of Chinese scientific examination ships, these media also wearing "colored glasses" to look at and amplify China's normal activities in the Indian Ocean, and even provoke the significance of Sino -Sri Lanka.

Qian Feng introduced to a reporter from the Global Times on the 15th that the Donier 228 aircraft is not a very advanced model and is mainly used for coastal monitoring and other purposes, and the defense cooperation between Indians has continued. Qian Feng believes that transfer of aircraft to Sri Lanka is a way to consolidate the relationship with Sri Lanka. In recent years, the Indian government has always emphasized the importance of diplomacy in South Asian neighbors. Recently, Sri Lanka has been in a debt crisis and India has given support and assistance, which is also a measure that hopes to strengthen India's contact and expand its influence in the Indian Ocean. ▲

Reporter in Carter, Sri Lanka, reporters Wang

Reporter Zhao Jueyi

This newspaper special reporter Zhen Xiang

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