Sri Lanka's Communist Party has expressed alarm over a joint maritime exercise between US and Sri Lankan forces, warning that deepening military ties could entangle the country in geopolitical conflicts.
The Sri Lanka Communist Party has voiced concerns about a five-day maritime exercise involving US and Sri Lankan naval personnel that began on Monday in Trincomalee and Colombo. The drill, known as CARAT (Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training) and featuring a US Navy P-8A Poseidon aircraft, marks the first such joint operation since President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's election. Communist Party General Secretary Dr. G. Weerasinghe warned that the exercise highlights growing risks of Sri Lanka being drawn into US military conflicts, particularly citing the sinking of an Iranian frigate near Galle in March without warning.
The US Embassy characterized the exercise as aimed at strengthening maritime security capabilities and disaster response coordination between the two nations. The sixth edition of CARAT brings together US Navy, US Coast Guard, and Sri Lankan military personnel for training that officials say builds trust and interoperability. The Embassy highlighted previous collaboration during Cyclone Ditwah as evidence of effective partnership. However, Dr. Weerasinghe countered that such exercises form part of an accelerated pattern of military cooperation with both the US and India.
The timing of the exercise coincides with a visit by a US Congressional delegation led by Representative Chrissy Houlahan, an Armed Services Committee member, from July 27-30. Dr. Weerasinghe argued these developments cannot be viewed in isolation, noting that Sri Lanka signed a defence cooperation memorandum with the US in November 2025 and faces imminent renewal of its Access and Cross-Servicing Agreement. The Communist Party contends that enhanced military engagement will require Sri Lanka to bear unspecified costs, though the US Embassy maintains the partnership serves regional stability and shared security interests.
