New Delhi:Tensions are escalating as China seeks permission from Colombo and Male to deploy its Research Survey Vessel, Xiang Yang Hong 03, for deep-sea exploration in the South Indian Ocean. India has lodged objections, cautioning Sri Lanka and Maldives against allowing the vessel to conduct maritime surveys, citing concerns about potential military implications.
The vessel in question, Xiang Yang Hong 03, a 4813-ton ship equipped with advanced survey and surveillance equipment, is currently stationed off the coast of Xiamen in the South China Sea. It plans to travel through the Malacca Strait en route to Sri Lanka and Maldives, seeking approval to explore the Indian Ocean from January 5 to late May 2024.
This move follows the completion of a survey by the Chinese Research Survey Vessel Shi Yan 6 off the coast of Sri Lanka. India had expressed strong objections to the vessel’s activities, emphasizing that the marine exploration pretext could serve as a cover for espionage.
Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had raised concerns with Sri Lanka about strategic implications related to Chinese maritime activities. With China rapidly expanding its naval capabilities, acquiring assets such as aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines, and guided missile destroyers, India remains vigilant about potential military implications.
China’s growing naval presence across the Indian Ocean, marked by naval bases from Cambodia to Djibouti, raises concerns. Recent Chinese exercises off the Makran Coast with the Pakistan Navy further underscore regional tensions. Experts suggest that, under the guise of marine exploration, China aims to map the Indian Ocean bed, preparing detailed charts for future naval operations extending up to the coast of Africa.
As India intensifies efforts to safeguard its strategic interests, the situation highlights the complex geopolitical dynamics in the Indian Ocean region.
