Japan on Saturday said that it will provide two patrol vessels to Sri Lanka to boost the latter's maritime security. The announcement was made after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena held a bilateral meeting in Nagoya, Japan. The Sri Lankan President and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are currently in Japan to attend an outreach meeting held as part of the G7 Summit.

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Additionally, Japan announced a financial aid of 38 billion yen ($344 million) for Sri Lanka. Tokyo's efforts to reach out to Sri Lanka is believed to be aimed at countering China's growing influence in the Indian Ocean. China is currently pursuing many ambitious maritime projects, mostly in the form of ports, in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. These projects are said to be part of China's so-called "string of pearls" strategy to surround India.

Japan and India have reportedly joined hands to take on China's ambitious plan to raise its presence in the Indian Ocean. The Indian government has already started pacifying the Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan government.

The efforts have yielded results as Bangladesh has canceled a few port projects with Chinese companies while Sri Lanka has announced that it may reconsider several projects awarded to Chinese construction firms.

New Delhi has also stepped up its effort to offer military and economic aid to smaller nations staking a claim in the South China Sea Dispute. Reports emerged earlier this year that India may participate in joint military exercises in South China Sea region.               

China shares a tense relationship with both India and Japan owing to historical baggage and unresolved border disputes. This often leads to diplomatic tension and a cold war scenario between these countries.

TagsSri Lanka, Japan, Indian Ocean, India, Sri Lanka and Japan, china