Former US President Ronald Reagan, in 1977, following J. R. Jayewardene, assuming office, sent his special envoy, Vernon Walters, to Sri Lanka. Indian media described his visit as “U.S. digs deeper into Sri Lanka.” At the time, India—then aligned with the Soviet bloc—interpreted the visit as an attempt by the United States to establish a U.S. Central Command headquarters in Sri Lanka. Soviet intelligence reportedly informed India that, following the establishment of a U.S. naval base in Trincomale, the headquarters of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) would be located in Sri Lanka. Acting on this intelligence and Soviet advice, India began supporting Tamil militant groups in the north.
The Area of Responsibility (AOR) of the United States Central Command includes the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia. The Iraq War, the War in Afghanistan, and the ongoing Iran conflict fall under CENTCOM operations.
Recalling Vernon Walters’ visit in the 1980s as Reagan’s special envoy, Donald Trump’s special envoy Sergio Gor arrived in Sri Lanka last week. He is Trump’s special envoy for South and Central Asian affairs. After meeting President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, he toured the Port of Colombo. He visited the pilot station at the port and observed the surrounding sea area. His visit took place amid the Iran conflict, at a time when the United States had reportedly launched an attack on an Iranian vessel in waters near Sri Lanka.
With the Iran conflict, it is evident that U.S. engagement in Sri Lanka has increased. Media reports stated that Iran had launched a missile attack on the U.S. and British naval base in Diego Garcia, although Iran denied this. Between 1970 and 1977, the governments of Sirimavo Bandaranaike and the government of Indira Gandhi made significant efforts to remove the U.S. and British naval base in Diego Garcia and declare the Indian Ocean a zone of peace. Reagan’s special envoy visited Sri Lanka after both India and Sri Lanka regimes had been defeated. Although Vernon’s mission to establish a naval base in Trincomalee failed, the United States subsequently strengthened its presence in Diego Garcia. It remains unclear whether Sergio Gor’s visit to Sri Lanka signifies a second phase of Vernon’s mission.
