India, UAE Team Up To Turn Sri Lanka's Trincomalee Into Energy Powerhouse | Key Details Here
Trincomalee Harbour, located in Trincomalee Bay (formerly Koddiyar Bay), is one of the largest natural deep-water harbours in the world and is considered a geo-strategic asset.
India, Sri Lanka, and the United Arab Emirates have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop Trincomalee, located on Sri Lanka’s northeastern coast, as a regional energy hub.
The MoU was exchanged in Colombo in the presence of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Dissanayake.
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The agreement was formally signed by the Energy Secretary of Sri Lanka, the Indian Foreign Secretary, and the UAE Ambassador to Sri Lanka, representing the UAE government.
As part of the trilateral collaboration, India and Sri Lanka will also begin work on a joint venture solar power plant in Sampur. PM Modi and President Dissanayake virtually performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the project.
Strategic Importance
Trincomalee Harbour, located in Trincomalee Bay (formerly Koddiyar Bay), is one of the largest natural deep-water harbours in the world and is considered a geo-strategic asset.
Situated on a peninsula, it is the closest Sri Lankan port to Chennai, India, and already houses facilities such as the Lanka IOC terminal, Tokyo Cement operations, a grain terminal for a flour mill, and a tea export terminal.
The port plays a crucial role in India’s Indo-Pacific strategy and is viewed as a counterbalance to the Chinese presence at Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port. Trincomalee is capable of accommodating warships, aircraft carriers, and large merchant vessels.
Its strategic value is enhanced by its 40-meter depth, underground ammunition depots, a functioning wheat flour mill, and the iconic World War II-era oil tank farms (OTFs), of which 99 remain—some already restored.
Historical Significance
Trincomalee has long been a point of contention and strategic interest for major powers. Historically, the Portuguese, Dutch, French, and British all vied for control of the harbour. During World War II, the Japanese Imperial Navy attacked Trincomalee in 1942, sinking three British warships anchored there.
The harbour was one of Britain’s largest naval bases in the region. Although the British were initially reluctant to relinquish control after Sri Lanka’s independence in 1948, they eventually returned the naval base and oil tank farms to Colombo in 1957. In 1987, India secured a foothold in Trincomalee through the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord (ISLA), gaining partial control of the tank farms.
The development of Trincomalee is seen as part of a broader strategy by New Delhi to enhance its presence in the Indian Ocean Region. The partnership with Sri Lanka and UAE reflects a growing regional alignment focused on sustainable energy, maritime security, and strategic infrastructure.
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