What do visits by warships of some countries including Russia, China and Japan with frequent intervals to Sri Lankan ports mean?

With Russian guided-missile cruiser Moskva docking at Colombo harbor last 23rd the port hosted Russian warships second time in a span of 05 months time.( Three Russian Warships docked at Colombo port on 06th of June this year too). Port of call by Russian worships at Colombo port marks Sri Lankan ports hosting worships of two permanent Security Council members within this year. (A couple of Chinese warships docked at Traincomalee harbor on 13th January of this year).

Though Sri Lankan public and politicians didn't see much importance of the events other regional powers and the world powers mustn't have failed to take note of the importance of these events.  Russian and Chinese warships were docking Sri Lankan ports at the backdrop of a very crucial time with two powers at the threshold of again changing the course of world's trajectory.  The latter's phenomenal economic growth has resulted in stunning modernization of her military with PLA Navy enjoying a fair share of it which has rattled quite a bit of Western Power's feathers. It is not a secret that Chinese navy's growth and modernization is being wearily and closely watched by them            

The West's vicious intention of encircling Russia by expanding NATO up to her backyard aimed at pushing her to the wall has resulted in the latter flexing its military muscles again after the end of cold war. Russia is now relentlessly trying to re-gain its military might after the collapse of the Soviet Union and building friendships with countries especially from the East.

Other warships that docked Colombo port within this year included from Japan, Indonesia, Pakistan and Bangladesh.  Visits by the Warships of Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Coast Guard of Japan to Colombo port on 13th Oct and 28th of July of this year respectively are of special importance as Japan is fast trying to become an influential player in the Asia Pacific Region with its military gaining a rapid growth. (Japan's military's shedding off of self -defense posture that came into being at her defeat in the WW II is largely being influenced by the disputes it has with China over a several issues including the two powers' traditional rivalry and the dispute over a few inhabited and oil rich islands in the South China sea claimed by the both countries). On the other hand one should not forget the fact that the Japanese imperial Navy before the end of WW II was par with the greatest naval powers in the world and the only navy from the East that challenged the most powerful navies from the West.                      

 So the sheer importance of the visits made by the navies of three powerful world powers in such a short span of time with two of the navies making two frequent visits during this period underscores the fact that how strategic Sri Lanka's location has again become on the sea lanes vitally important for commercial and military traffic. Visits by above mentioned other navies too at such a frequency show how Sri Lanka's strategic location is increasingly being felt by other countries in the region too.

Apt, wise and at times cunning handling of affairs with regional and the world powers by Sri Lankan political establishment would certainly offer unprecedented benefits to her to regain her former glories once more.