Why in the News?

Indian Navy’s submarine INS Shalki, recently docked at Colombo Port on its two day visit to Sri Lanka.
- This visit comes against the backdrop of China’s persistent attempts to enhance its strategic and military influence over the island nation.

About INS SHALKI

INS Shalki is a Shishumar class diesel-electric submarine, commissioned into the Indian Navy on 07 Feb 1992.
- Shishumar class submarines are an Indian variant of the Type 209 submarines developed by the German yard Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft under the internal designation “Type 1500”.
This is the first ever submarine to be built in India.
It was constructed under licence by the Mazgaon Dock Limited, Mumbai.

India sends submarines to a handful of countries with whom it has close defence and strategic ties.
This is the third submarine to visit Sri Lanka after the visit of INS Vagir and INS Karanj in June 2023 and February 2024, respectively.
India has been expanding its defence and strategic ties with Sri Lanka amid concerns over China’s attempts to increase its military presence in the Indian Ocean.

- The docking of the Chinese missile and satellite tracking ship ‘Yuan Wang’ at Hambantota port in August 2022 had triggered a diplomatic row between India and Sri Lanka.
- Another Chinese warship docked at the Colombo port in August last year.

[2017] Consider the following in respect of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS):

1. Inaugural IONS was held in India in 2015 under the chairmanship of the Indian Navy.

2. IONS is a voluntary initiative that seeks to increase maritime co-operation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) Neither 1 nor 2