The federal government will work with Sri Lanka to establish how its gift of two Australian patrol boats will be used.
The vessels are being given to Sri Lanka to support its efforts to stop asylum seekers heading to Australia.
The Bay-class patrol boats, recently retired from Australian service, will be used to intercept asylum-seeker boats before they leave Sri Lankan waters.
But Immigration Minister Scott Morrison cannot say whether Sri Lanka will use the boats for purposes other than to "stop people coming to Australia illegally by boat".
"We'll work through those arrangements with the Sri Lanka government," he told ABC Radio on Monday.
The $2 million gift has been condemned as "abhorrent" by Australian Greens leader Christine Milne, who says it represents collaboration in Sri Lankan human rights abuses.
The opposition is concerned about the lack of detail surrounding the gift.
"That's not surprising for this government," Labor immigration spokesman Richard Marles said.
Labor wants assurances the boats' use will be limited to asylum-seeker operations and Mr Marles says a lack of protocols is "deeply concerning".
Mr Morrison rejected suggestions Australia was helping the Sri Lankan government stop people fleeing human rights abuses.
Many asylum seekers from Sri Lanka are doing so for economic reasons, including the latest group of 79 screened out by immigration authorities.
Mr Morrison has also again defended the way the federal government releases information about Operation Sovereign Borders - its military-style campaign to stop asylum-seeker boats.
Limited information about boat interceptions and turn-backs are provided at weekly media briefings by Mr Morrison and operation commander Lieutenant General Angus Campbell.
Mr Morrison has flagged the government intention to reject a Senate demand to table documentation related to boat arrivals.
The coalition will make clear its position later on Monday.
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