New Delhi: After Chinese Research Survey Vessel Shi Yan 6 accomplished its survey off the coast of Sri Lanka and reached Singapore on December 2, Beijing has requested permission from Colombo and Male to permit one other Research Survey Vessel to dock at their ports and conduct a deep water exploration of South Indian Ocean from January 5 until late May, 2024.

While India has already raised objections with each Sri Lanka and Maldives and requested them to not enable the Chinese vessel to conduct exploration of Indian Ocean for future army operations, the vessel Xiang Yang Hong 03 is at the moment off the coast of Xiamen in South China Sea and can journey by way of Malacca to those nations after securing permission.

Made in 20126, Xiang Yang Hong 03 is a 4813 ton vessel outfitted with newest survey and surveillance tools and is registered on the port of Xiamen. The earlier survey vessel, Shi Yan 6, which was allowed permission by Ranil Wickremesinghe authorities regardless of India’s robust objections exited Malacca Straits on November 20- after conducting exploration of Sri Lankan EEZ and South Indian Ocean. The ship was additionally seen 500 nautical miles off Chennai earlier than it entered Colombo port on October 25, 2023.

The Indian issues over Chinese ballistic missile trackers and Research Surveillance Ships being allowed by Sri Lanka and now with a pro-China authorities in Maldives are over Beijing utilizing these vessels to spy on India within the identify of marine exploration. Last 12 months, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had raised the problem with visiting President Ranil Wickremesinghe on July 21, 2023 that Sri Lanka ought to respect strategic issues of India.

With the PLA Navy quickly buying maritime belongings together with three plane carriers, nuclear submarines and guided missile destroyers, China is increasing its footprint everywhere in the Indian Ocean with a string of naval bases from Cambodia to Djibouti on the mouth of the Red Sea. China has already acquired/invested in ports in Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Iran and in UAE with a watch in the direction of future naval operations.

In the identify of marine exploration, Beijing is definitely mapping the Indian Ocean mattress from the ninety diploma ridge south of Andamans and Nicobar Islands to the deep South Indian Ocean. Detailed ocean mattress maps are ready for future submarine operations all the best way as much as the coast of Africa. With the PLA already working off the coast of Africa and the Gulf of Aden within the identify of anti-piracy operations, it is just a matter of time that Chinese provider strike forces might be patrolling in worldwide waters of the Indian Ocean. Last month, the Chinese Navy performed an train with the Pakistan Navy off the Makran Coast with a PLA Song class diesel hunter-killer submarine collaborating in specialised “sea bottoming” operations together with consumer state Pakistan.