China sends warships to eastern Indian Ocean, says report

Eleven Chinese warships sailed into the eastern Indian Ocean against the backdrop of a political crisis in the Maldives, where New Delhi and Beijing are competing for influence, though Indian officials said there were no indications the vessels were headed towards the island nation.

The flotilla comprises destroyers, a frigate, an amphibious transport dock and three support tankers, Chinese news portal sina.com.cn reported. The report didn’t directly link the movement of the warships to the crisis in the Maldives but noted that the Indian Ocean region is currently “not peaceful”.

“About 10 days ago, the ‘Navy Blue 2018A’ far-sea training formation of the Chinese navy crossed the Strait of Indonesia and five main warships entered the east Indian Ocean,” the report said.

“At present, the Indian Ocean region is not peaceful and the political situation in Maldives continues to be turbulent,” it added. The report also claimed the Maldives government had rejected India’s help in resolving the political crisis.

A senior Indian Navy officer tracking movements in the Indian Ocean region said on Tuesday no Chinese warships were currently charting a course for the Maldives. “Their nearest warship is more than 2,000 nautical miles away from the island nation,” he said.

The officer confirmed the Indian Navy had spotted five Chinese warships entering the eastern Indian Ocean around 10 days ago but these vessels had subsequently moved towards the South China Sea.

“The warships entered the eastern Indian Ocean through the Sunda Strait and exited through Lombok Strait to the South China Sea,” he said.

Three to four Chinese warships were deployed in the Gulf of Aden at any given time on the pretext of conducting anti-piracy operations, he said. These warships are replaced every three months.

China has repeatedly said the crisis in Maldives should be resolved domestically and no country should interfere in the island nation’s internal affairs. In a recent statement, China’s foreign ministry had indicated it wasn’t about to shy away from its new role in the Maldives – fuelled by big investments – despite repeated pledges not to intervene in domestic politics.

It has also helped China’s growing influence in the Maldives, known for its luxury resorts, that President Abdulla Yameen has signed up for President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative to build trade and transport links and hubs across Asia and Europe.

The sina.com.cn report also spoke about the Chinese navy’s increasing capabilities compared to those of the Indian Navy.

“If you look at the warships and other equipment, the gap between the Indian Navy and the Chinese Navy is not too far off. However, after more than 10 years of ocean-going escort and training honed by the oceans and seas, the Chinese navy has enjoyed predominance in terms of dispatching warships and ships as well as the training level and operational skills of officers and soldiers,” it said.

“Just this time, 11 warships of three naval formations appeared in the east, west and south Indian Ocean at the same time. This reaction speed and mobilisation ability can be achieved by few navies in the world,” it added.

Meanwhile, a report in the nationalistic Global Times tabloid said China has upgraded its “airspace defence” in the western sector to counter threats from India.

The report followed the release of photo by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) showing J-10 and J-11 combat jets conducting an exercise over a high-altitude plateau in western China.

“The Western Theater Command is mainly responsible for mountain warfare at the border area with India. It is significant for China to strengthen control of airspace over the mountainous region,” Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert told daily.

“Considering that India possesses 3rd-generation fighter jets, China’s stationing of its 3.5-generation jets would be able to deal with any current threat from India, Song said. “With India importing new jets, China will continue strengthening its fighter jets in the Western Theatre Command.”

(With inputs from HTC in New Delhi)