Tag: navy

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Indian, Saudi Arabia Navy prepare for bilateral Naval exercise

The exercise aims to carry out tactical manoeuvres, search and rescue operations, and an electronic warfare drill to enhance interoperability…reports Asian Lite News

Indian Navy Forces, Royal Saudi Naval Forces on Thursday met in Mumbai and gave final touches to preparations for India-Saudi Arabia Naval Exercise ‘Al-Mohed-Al Hindi-23’ planned for May 2023 in Saudi Arabia’s Jubail.

The exercise will be the second such Naval Exercise. The first was in August 2021. “A team from Royal Saudi Naval Forces met with the Indian side in Mumbai, giving final touches to the preparations for India-Saudi Arabia Naval Exercise, ‘Al-Mohed-Al Hindi-23’ planned for May this year off Jubail in Saudi Arabia. This will be the second such Naval Exercise, the 1st one was in Aug 2021,” the Indian Embassy in Riyadh tweeted on Thursday.

Al-Mohed-Al Hindi is a joint Naval Exercise between India and Saudi Arabia. The decision on the Bilateral exercise was taken during the Riyadh Summit held in 2019.

The exercise aims to carry out tactical manoeuvres, search and rescue operations, and an electronic warfare drill to enhance interoperability.

Meanwhile, terming the relationship with India a “top priority”, Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Farhan Al-Saud recently said that the relationship between both nations has grown exponentially, adding that there is a need for measurable progress in all sectors especially the economic and trade relationship.

Highlighting the strong relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the minister said that both leaders want to see actual results, progress in relationship between the countries.

“The relationship with India is a top priority and we need to have measurable progress in all sectors especially the economic and trade relationship,” the Saudi Foreign Minister said in an interview with President of Observer Research Foundation (ORF) Samir Saran at Raisina ‘Ideas Pod’.

Al-Saud said the relationship between India and Saudi Arabia in the last five years, has grown exponentially. (ANI)

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-Top News USA

US Navy releases first photos of Chinese balloon debris

According to the US Fleet Forces Command, the sailors retrieving the debris on Sunday were part of the Navy’s specialist explosives team…reports Asian Lite News

The US Navy has released photos of debris of the suspected Chinese spy balloon which was shot down by an American F-22 fighter jet over the Atlantic Ocean on February 4.

The photos were published on Tuesday by the US Fleet Forces Command on its social media handles.

The balloon was retrieved off the coast of Myrtle Beach in South Carolina a day after it was shot down, the BBC reported.

According to the Navy, the balloon’s debris was spread over 11 km of the Atlantic Ocean, and two naval ships were sent to the area.

The photos showed the piles of balloon material being pulled aboard by hand.

According to the US Fleet Forces Command, the sailors retrieving the debris on Sunday were part of the Navy’s specialist explosives team.

The debris were now being sent to an FBI laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, for analysis to see whether it was indeed spy equipment, reports CNN.

On Monday, Gen. Glen VanHerck, commander of US Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), told reporters that the balloon was roughly 200 feet tall and carried a payload portion comparable in size to regional airliners and weighing hundreds, or potentially thousands of pounds.

US defence officials first announced they were tracking the “strange object” on February 2, and waited until it was safely over water before shooting it down.

The discovery of the balloon set off a diplomatic crisis, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken immediately calling off a weekend trip to China — which would be the first such high level US-China meeting there in years — over the “irresponsible act”.

On Tuesday, US officials said the Pentagon sought to arrange a phone call between Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and his Chinese counterpart after the balloon was shot down, but was rebuffed by Beijing, reports the BBC.

“Lines between our militaries are particularly important in moments like this,” defence press secretary Brigadier General Patrick Ryder said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the PRC (People’s Republic of China) has declined our request.”

China had admitted ownership of the balloon on Monday, saying it was used for flight tests and had “seriously deviated” from its flight course “by mistake”.

“China is a responsible country. We have always strictly abided by international law. We have informed all relevant parties and appropriately handled the situation, which did not pose any threats to any countries,” CNN quoted Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning as saying to reporters.

On February 3, the Pentagon had said a second Chinese spy balloon had been spotted — this time over Latin America with reported sightings over Costa Rica and Venezuela.

Colombia’s Air Force says an identified object — believed to be a balloon — was detectedin the country’s airspace at above 55,000ft.

It says it followed the object until it left the airspace, adding that it did not represent a threat to national security.

ALSO READ-Spy balloon floats into diplomatic crisis

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India News

Indian Navy chief begins 4-day Lanka visit

As part of the visit, Admiral R Hari Kumar will hold meetings with senior political and defence leadership of Sri Lanka…reports Asian Lite News

Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral R Hari Kumar has arrived in Sri Lanka on an official visit from December 13-16. He has been invited as the Chief Guest and Reviewing Officer for the Commissioning Parade at the Naval and Maritime Academy (NMA) scheduled to take place in Trincomalee on December 15.

Indian Embassy in Sri Lanka shared pictures of Admiral R Hari Kumar’s arrival in the island nation on Twitter. Indian Embassy in Sri Lanka tweeted, “Admiral R Hari Kumar #CNS @indiannavy arrived in #SriLanka on an official visit. #CNS was warmly received by RAdm UNP Parera, COS @srilanka_navy on his arrival.”

As part of the visit, Admiral R Hari Kumar will hold meetings with senior political and defence leadership of Sri Lanka. He will also visit other defence establishments of Sri Lankan armed forces and review the progress of activities related to various bilateral defence cooperation.

The Ministry of Defence in the press release noted, “The Indian Navy regularly interacts with the Sri Lanka Navy through the medium of annual Staff Talks and pursues several operational engagements at regular frequency.” It stressed that Admiral R Hari Kumar’s visit will further strengthen the bilateral defence cooperation with Sri Lanka, particularly in the maritime domain.

It further stated that the Indian Navy supports several capacity-building measures of Sri Lanka Navy, like the provision of naval platforms, including indigenously constructed Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) and the Dornier aircraft of the Indian Navy deployed to Sri Lanka since August 2022.

Furthermore, the Indian navy remains actively involved in various capability enhancement projects, including training the Sri Lanka Navy personnel in India. According to the Ministry of Defence, Sri Lanka Navy is a regular participant of various multilateral engagements hosted by the Indian Navy, including the MILAN, Goa Maritime Conclave, and Admiral’s Cup Sailing Regatta.

Earlier on December 6, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India, Milinda Moragoda on Tuesday held a meeting with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Moragoda thanked Sitharaman for the brief emergency assistance India has provided to the island nation throughout its difficult period.

The Sri Lankan envoy also briefed the finance minister on Sri Lanka’s ongoing discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the present status of the country’s debt restructuring process, according to the official statement of the High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi.

Sri Lankan High Commission in New Delhi tweeted, “High Commissioner @MilindaMoragoda met with the Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister of India @nsitharaman today (06) to review the status of bilateral economic cooperation.” (ANI)

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-Top News Bangladesh

Navy participates in int’l fleet review in Bangladesh

The FOC-in-C also interacted with the Chiefs of Army & Air Staff as well as the DG Coast Guard of Bangladesh prior to commencement of the review…reports Asian Lite News

An Indian Navy delegation along with frontline warships INS Kochi, INS Kavaratti, and INS Sumedha participated in the International Fleet Review hosted by the Bangladesh Navy at Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh on Wednesday (December 7).

Taking to Twitter, the Official Spokesperson of the Indian Navy wrote, “#IndianNavy delegation led by VAdm Biswajit Dasgupta, #FOCinC @IN_HQENC along with 3 Indian Naval warships #INSKochi, #INSKavaratti & #INSSumedha participated in the maiden #InternationalFleetReview (IFR) hosted by the #BangladeshNavy on 07 Dec 22. India-Bangladesh???? @ihcdhaka @bdhc_delhi”

The Indian delegation was led by Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) of the Eastern Naval Command, which oversaw operations during the Liberation War.

The FOC-in-C also interacted with the Chiefs of Army & Air Staff as well as the DG Coast Guard of Bangladesh prior to commencement of the review.

The frontline warships of the Indian Navy arrived at Cox’s Bazar on December 6 to ensure large participation in the exercise.

Bangladesh is organizing a four-day International Fleet Review (IFR) for the first time. It commenced on Tuesday near the border area of Cox’s Bazar on the southern Bay of Bengal.

The event began with the inauguration by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. It included a beach procession, a fleet review, and insights into the activity of the special forces at sea.

International food festivals and cultural activities with participation from foreigners will also be organized to showcase Bangladesh and the participating nations’ diverse cultures and rich traditions.

The IFR has participation from a number of countries, including the USA, UK, Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, India, China, Korea, Indonesia, Turkey, and the Netherlands, in addition to the host country, Bangladesh.

Navy’s 1st Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft to be launched

The Indian Navy’s first Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASWSWC) will be launched on December 16, adding yet another feather in the cap of Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd.

Though only 77.6 meters long and 10.5 meters wide, this vessel will pack a punch and be capable of hunting down and neutralising the enemy submarines lurking close to India’s coast.

After her launch, the ship will get outfitted with deck equipment, sensors and weapons systems before being delivered to the Navy.

The Navy has ordered 16 such vessels. While eight are being built by GRSE, the remaining are under construction at the Cochin Shipyard Ltd.

In the past, GRSE has built and delivered four Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvettes to the Navy under Project-28. These Kamorta Class of ships were the first ASW Corvettes to join the Indian Navy. With a length of 109 meters, they are much larger than the ASWSWCs being built now.

“We have been operating ASW ships for the last several years (the INS Kamorta joined the Navy in 2014). However, the ASWSWC will have a specific purpose to patrol the country’s vast coastline in search of sub-surface threats. The first ship will be launched on December 16 at Kattupalli, Tamil Nadu. Apart from sensors and weapons systems to tackle underwater threats, these ships will have deck guns for their own protection,” Commodore Indrajeet Dasgupta, Warship Production Supervisor (WPS) for the Indian Navy at GRSE said.

According to another senior naval official, these ships will play a very important role, given the movement of Chinese submarines close to Indian waters. While submarines operating further out at sea can be detected and tackled by ASW Corvettes and long-range surveillance aircraft, midget submarines can get very close to the coast and cause severe damage to harbour entry points and anchored warships. Submarines can also lay mines at harbour mouths. It was reported earlier this year that China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has developed and inducted midget submarines that can sneak through defences.

“The ASWSWCs will be very capable of tackling such threats. They can operate on their own or in conjunction with aircraft. These ships will also be able to detect mines and take necessary measures,” the official added.

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Navy Chief unveils vision to deter China in IOR

Indian Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said that the Indian Navy had assured the government that it will become completely “Aatmanirbhar” by 2047…reports Asian Lite News

The Indian Navy is evolving into a mixed force of men and women that can deter extra-regional powers including China in the Indian Ocean Region, relying on equipment that is completely home-grown by 2047.

Indian Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said that the Indian Navy had assured the government that it will become completely “Aatmanirbhar” by 2047.

“Recent global events amply underscore that we can’t remain dependent on others for our own security requirements. Government has given us very clear guidelines on Aatmanirbhar Bharat and one of the Navy’s commitments to the top leadership is that we’ll become an Aatmanirbhar Navy by 2047,” the Navy Chief said.

He stressed that the navy’s expansion and combat readiness is geared to protect India’s vital interests in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). “We are aware it’s a vital region where there is a large amount of trade which transits, energy flows which happen. Our job is to see that India’s interests in the maritime domain are protected,” he observed.

Admiral Hari Kumar also pointed out that the Navy had to keep a watch on the movement of Chinese ships in the IOR. “There are a lot of Chinese ships which operate in the Indian Ocean Region. We have about 4-6 PLA Navy ships, then some research vessels which operate. A large number of Chinese fishing vessels operate in the Indian Ocean Region. We keep a close watch on all developments.”

The admiral spotlighted that the navy also had to keep an eye on nearly 60-odd other extra-regional forces that are always present in the IOR.

Analysts point out that India has stepped up its focus on beefing up its forces in the IOR to deter China following Beijing’s transgression across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) from May 2020 onwards. In order to dissuade China in the mountains, India needed to develop capability to dominate key sea lanes in the Andaman and Nicobar area from where Chinese commercial ships pass.  Specifically, Indian security planners are focussing on the 10-degree channel that separates Andaman and Nicobar Island chains, as well as the six-degree channel further south. International commercial shipping funnels through these channels, especially the six-degree channel before entering the Malacca strait that links the Indian and the Pacific oceans.

The Navy chief stressed that the armed forces had to maintain credible deterrence at all times. In October the Navy tested the Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) from the Arihant, its nuclear submarine. The firing took place at a time when China was holding its one-in-five year 20 th Party Congress.

Regarding force structure, the Navy chief revealed that 341 out of 3,000 Agniveer inducted in the navy are women.

“First batch of agniveers already reported, about 3000 agniveers have joined out of whom about 341 are women. Come next year, we are looking at women officers being inducted across all branches and not just the 7-8 branches they are restricted to as of today,” he said.

“It’s the first-time women are being inducted into the ranks. We are not inducting women separately. They are being inducted in the same manner as their male counterparts. It’s a uniform method of selection. They undergo similar tests.” Admiral Kumar stressed that the Navy is shaping up into a gender-neutral force that looks at the capability of the individual. They’ll be deployed on ships, airbases, aircraft. They will be trained for everything the way a normal sailor is trained. There is going to be no difference in training. We’re looking at being a gender-neutral force where we only look at the capability of the individual.”

Traditionally, the Navy Day celebrations are held in the national capital in the presence of President and other dignitaries. However, this year, for the first time, Navy Day celebrations will conducted outside Delhi, in Vishakhapatnam.

With India marching into the ‘Amrit Kaal’ on the 75th year of its Independence, the Navy is ready to demonstrate its combat prowess and capabilities through ‘Operational Demonstrations’ on December 4.

President Droupadi Murmu, who is also the Supreme Commander of the armed forces, will be the guest of honour on the occasion.

Naval ships, aircraft, submarines and special forces from eastern, western and southern Naval Command will showcase the capabilities and versatility of the Navy.

A Defence Ministry official said that the event will culminate with a sunset ceremony and illumination by ships at anchorage.

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India seeks access to navy ex-officers detained in Qatar

Arindam Bagchi.

He firmly clarified that because the visit of Dhankhar was short, he couldn’t have structured meetings with the authorities…reports Asian Lite News

The Indian authorities are seeking consular access from the Qatari government to eight former naval officers who were detained in Doha, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.

“Yes, this issue is something that we have been pursuing and talked about it earlier. Our embassy in Doha has been regularly raising the issue with the Qatari authorities. That some family members have recently been permitted to visit their relatives in detention. We are separately seeking further consular access and as soon as we have some updates we will continue to share them,” a Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson said at the weekly media briefing.

Bagchi said this in response to queries on detention reports of eight former Indian Navy officers working in Qatar. Eight former Indian Navy officers have been detained in Doha since August 30.

Responding to a question about whether Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar raised the issue of detained 8 former Indian naval officers during his visit, MEA Spokesperson said “no” further adding “At the invitation of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar visit Qatar to attend the inaugural ceremony of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. As you are aware he had interaction with the Indian community. His program is very short and did not permit structured meetings, however, he did briefly meet the leaders during the meeting.”

He firmly clarified that because the visit of Dhankhar was short, he couldn’t have structured meetings with the authorities. “The case of 8 naval officials imprisoned in Doha since August has been pursued but not by the VP during his recent visit to Qatar,” an MEA spokesperson added.

Earlier, among 8 former naval officers detained in Doha, retired commander Punendu Tiwari’s sister Dr Meetu Bhargava who lives in Gwalior has sought help from the government to bring her brother back.

She told ANI, in the first week of November, “I made a tweet on October 25 and appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring back my brother who is in illegal detention in Doha, Qatar. My brother is a retired commander navy officer and he went there to provide training to Qatar Navy through his company Dahra Global Consultancy Services”.

“There are a total of eight ex-Indian Navy officers, including my brother lying in illegal detention. They were picked up by the Qatar police during the night on August 30. There were no charges against them. Neither the Qatar government told us nor the Indian government has information about any charges imposed on them,” she added.

Tiwari had talked to his mother two weeks ago. He is not healthy at all, he is a senior citizen and suffering from several diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, and others. It’s been 70 days since they were in solitary confinement, she added. (ANI)

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Navy shares vision of an inclusive Indo-Pacific region

The Navy Chief pointed out that current international geo-political and economic realities require an integrated approach to tackle problems in the Indian and Pacific Oceans…reports Asian Lite News

Avoiding needless confrontation, the Navy today said notwithstanding complex challenges, India visualised a free, inclusive, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

Speaking at an international conference titled ‘Operationalising the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), Chief of Naval Staff  Admiral R Hari Kumar said that the IPOI represents broadest framework conceptualised in Indo-Pacific guided by India’s vision of it as a free, inclusive, peaceful and prosperous region. It also reflects India’s civilisational ethos of mutual respect, pluralism, co-existence and dialogue.

The IPRD seeks to foster exchange of ideas and promote deliberations on regionally relevant maritime issues. Being a Track 1.5 event that aims to encourage discussions on public policy, the IPRD endeavours for a balanced representation from government and non-government agencies and institutions.

The aim of each successive edition is to review both opportunities and challenges that arise within the Indo-Pacific.

The Navy Chief pointed out that current international geo-political and economic realities require an integrated approach to tackle problems in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

The conference has taken the cue from  Prime Minister Narendra Modi adress in Bangkok at the 14th East Asia Summit (EAS) in November 2019.  India’s approach to the Indo-Pacific is guided by the Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) doctrine which views the oceans as the common heritage of mankind and strives to ensure security and prosperity for everyone in the region.

Listing the number of challenges that need to be overcome – including include imperatives at home, influences from abroad, and intrusive paradigms – Admiral Kumar stressed that these challenges “cannot be overcome by one nation alone”. “Accordingly, the Indo-pacific region has witnessed the formulation of numerous bilateral, multilateral, minilateral and plurilateral mechanisms, most of which seek a safe, secure and stable Indo-Pacific,” he said.

The IPRD is focused on seven interconnected spokes or pillars: maritime security, maritime ecology, maritime resources, disaster risk-reduction and management, trade connectivity and maritime transport, capacity-building and resource sharing, and science, technology and academic cooperation.

IPRD-2022 will be conducted through six professional sessions spread over the three-day period from November 23 to 25. These are – Weaving the Fabric of Holistic Maritime Security in the Indo-Pacific: Multilateral Options; Constructing Holistic-Security Bridges across the Western and Eastern Maritime Expanse of the Indo-Pacific; Building maritime Connectivity: Ports, Trade, and Transport; Capacity-building and Capability Enhancement Leveraging the Physical and Social Sciences; Practical approaches to a Regional Blue Economy; and, Disaster Risk-reduction and Management; Solutions for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Vulnerable Littoral States.

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Navy to carry out war games covering 7,516 kms of coastline

Coastal Security being a major sub-set of Coastal Defence construct, the concept of ‘Sea Vigil’ is to activate the Coastal Security apparatus across India and assess the overarching Coastal Defence mechanism, the ministry added…reports Asian Lite News

The Indian Navy and the Coast Guard will conduct the third edition of the largest nationwide Coastal Defence Exercise ‘Sea Vigil-22′ on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The exercise was conceptualised in 2018 to validate various measures that have been instituted towards enhancing maritime security since the 26/11 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people and injured over 300.

“The scale and conceptual expanse of the exercise is unprecedented in terms of the geographical extent, the number of stakeholders involved, the number of units participating and in terms of the objectives to be met,” the Ministry of Defence said on Monday.

Coastal Security being a major sub-set of Coastal Defence construct, the concept of ‘Sea Vigil’ is to activate the Coastal Security apparatus across India and assess the overarching Coastal Defence mechanism, the ministry added.

The exercise will be undertaken along the entire 7516 km coastline and Exclusive Economic Zone of India and will involve all the Coastal States and Union territories along with other maritime stakeholders, including the fishing and coastal communities.

While smaller scale exercises are conducted in Coastal States regularly, including combined exercises amongst adjoining states, the conduct of exercise Sea Vigil at the national level is aimed to serve a larger purpose.

“It provides opportunity, at the apex level, to assess our preparedness in the domain of Maritime Security and Coastal Defence. Exercise Sea Vigil-22 will provide realistic assessment of our strengths and weaknesses and thus will help in further strengthening Maritime and National Security,” the Ministry of Defence noted.

The exercise is a build up towards the major Theatre Level Readiness Operational Exercise (TROPEX), which the Indian Navy conducts every two years. Sea Vigil and TROPEX together will cover the entire spectrum Maritime Security challenges.

Assets of the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, Customs and other maritime agencies will participate in Ex Sea Vigil.

In addition to the Ministry of Defence, the conduct of this exercise is also being facilitated by the Ministries of Home Affairs, Ports Shipping and Waterways, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Fisheries Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Customs, and other agencies of Centre/ State.

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Navy Chief begins 5-day official visit to Japan

As part of the IFR, WPNS, and Malabar, Admiral Hari Kumar is also going to interact with his counterparts and other heads of delegation from around 30 nations…reports Asian Lite News

India’s Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral R Hari Kumar began a five-day official visit to Japan on Saturday.

While there, as a representative of the Indian Navy, he will attend the International Fleet Review (IFR) that the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) will hold at Yokosuka on November 6 to mark the 70th anniversary of its establishment, the Ministry of Defence said.

He will also participate in the 18th Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS), which will be hosted by Japan as the WPNS’s current Chair. This will take place in Yokohama on November 7-8, and he will represent the Indian Navy as it is one of the Observer Navies in the WPNS.

Additionally, he will be attending the inauguration of the 2022 edition of Exercise Malabar, which will be held at Yokosuka with the participation of Australia, Japan and the USA.

Exercise Malabar was first conducted in 1992, which makes thisedition special because this year will be commemorating its 30th anniversary.

As part of the IFR, WPNS, and Malabar, Admiral Hari Kumar is also going to interact with his counterparts and other heads of delegation from around 30 nations.

Indian Naval Ships Shivalik and Kamorta had arrived in Yokosuka, Japan, on November 2 to take part in the IFR and Exercise Malabar 2022.

As per the official press release from the Ministry of Defence, CNS Hari Kumar’s visit to Japan demonstrates the importance of India’s support for and involvement in international engagements, as well as the high degree of bilateral defence interactions with Japan.

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Navy plans to stop Chinese spy ship from entering India’s EEZ

Yuan Wang 6

India’s Territorial Waters extend to 12 nautical miles from the nearest low tide mark on shore…reports Asian Lite News

The Indian Navy will not allow the Yuan Wang-6 to enter the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) that extends up to 200 nautical miles into the sea.

Though it is known fact that the Yuan Wang-6 is a spy ship of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), sent to the Indian Ocean Region to track India’s missile tests from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast, she is officially registered as a research and survey vessel.

While foreign vessels, including warships, can freely sail through the EEZ, Indian law forbids any survey, research or exploration there by a foreign nation without permission.

In 2019, the Indian Navy had forced the Chinese research vessel Shi Yan 1 out of India’s EEZ after it was found lurking near Port Blair.

The Shi Yan 1 is also considered a PLAN spy ship masquerading as a research vessel. That move by the Indian Navy had led to a diplomatic row with China but India had put her foot down.

According to sources, the Indian Navy will do the same this time round if the Yuan Wang-6 attempts to enter India’s EEZ. The destination of this vessel is not marked to any port but to ‘open sea’ and that is where she will have to remain, a senior official said.

“We are constantly monitoring her every movement. Our surface and sub-surface assets are tracking the Yuan Wang-6. So are our Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and long-range maritime surveillance aircraft. In fact, we are also in a position to find out what this ship is tracking. Though we can’t do anything till she is in the open seas, action can be taken once she attempts to enter our EEZ. Had she been a normal PLAN warship, we could have done nothing due to the international right to passage laws.

“However, a foreign survey and research vessel can’t be allowed to operate in our EEZ. She won’t be able to get close to our coastline. We know that Yuan Wang-6 has powerful equipment on board that can track from hundreds of nautical miles away, but there is nothing anybody can do so long as she is in international waters,” the official said.

India’s Territorial Waters extend to 12 nautical miles from the nearest low tide mark on shore.

No foreign warship or submarine can enter this zone without permission from the Government of India. Even if permission is granted, foreign submarines have to traverse these waters on the surface with their countries’ flags flying.

It is the same for warships. There are no restrictions on other foreign vessels. As the Yuan Wang-6 is not registered as a naval vessel, she may attempt to enter India’s Territorial Waters, if not prevented from entering the EEZ. This could land India on a sticky wicket.

“The only problem is if the Chinese vessel receives permission from any one of our maritime neighbours to enter their territorial waters. We share our maritime boundary with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Near these countries, we can’t enforce our EEZ laws as the sea is contiguous. That is why we have International Maritime Boundary Lines to demarcate territory. Now, if Bangladesh allows the Yuan Wang-6 to dock at Chittagong or Sri Lanka grants permission to her at Hambantota Port, she will be lying extremely close to our coastline and tracking everything,” another official said.

Sri Lanka is neck deep in debt and has been forced to lease away the Hambantota Port to China. In August this year, the Yuan Wang-5, another spy ship from China, docked at Hambantota despite India’s reservations.

But then, Sri Lankan authorities could do little, except defer the arrival of the ship for some time, as much of Hambantota Port is in Chinese hands.

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