Sri Lanka, Feb. 10 -- President Ranil Wickremesinghe, addressing concerns about China's increased presence in the Indian Ocean region, said the island nation would not allow anything that would jeopardize India's security.

During an exclusive interview with Indian news channel WION, the Sri Lankan leader said, "We've kept Indian security in mind and we will not allow anything to happen that will be harmful to Indian security, and these are all hydrographical vessels."

When asked about the Sri Lankan government's decision to not allow the visits of Chinese vessels, Wickremesinghe, who is in Australia for the 7th Indian Ocean Conference, explained that the administration decided to say no to ships from any country hydrographic matters as ...