India, April 18 -- Pakistan's effort to conduct a joint naval exercise this year with Sri Lanka in the waters off Trincomalee, a port city where an energy hub is being developed with Indian involvement, was shut down after New Delhi conveyed its concerns to Colombo, people familiar with the matter said.

The joint exercise was planned in the weeks ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Sri Lanka this month, when New Delhi and Colombo signed a defence cooperation agreement, the first of its kind, and another tripartite agreement involving the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the energy hub at Trincomalee, including a multi-product pipeline.

The move by Pakistan, especially the proposal that the exercise be conducted in the waters ...