NEW DELHI – Admitting that recent years have seen a significant rise inpresence of Chinese ships and submarines in the Indian Ocean region, IndianNavy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba assured that every movement is beingmonitored closely and that India’s maritime security is absolutely secure.
In an interview to WION, Admiral Lanba said that the Indian Navy is keepinga close watch on Chinese activities in the Indian Ocean, Zee News hasreported.
“Indian Ocean is the only ocean named after a country. We have a greatmaritime heritage. Chinese ships are in the Indian Ocean since 2008 andthey have a lot of ships and submarines deployed here.
(But) We are aware of what is happening and last year, we started a newdeployment pattern which is mission based deployment,” he said. “We monitorall movements and the Indian Navy is fully capable of ensuring its maritimesecurity.”
While China maintains its ships patrol international waters to provide safepassage to its merchant ships, many countries regard an increasingdeployment of military vessels as part of China’s expansionist policies.link>
India, in particular, is cautious due to reports that China plans todeploy a nuclear submarinelink>atPakistan’s Gwadar port – close to Indian waters. Admiral Lanba thoughhighlighted India’s naval co-operation with eastern neighbours as a step inthe right direction.
“We have been co-operating with our eastern neighbours since the Act Eastpolicy was initiated in 2014. We, along with Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnamconduct co-ordinated patrol on our maritime borders,” he said. “We are alsohelping them train their personnel.”
While India looks to train and assists its smaller eastern neighbours,Admiral Lanba acknowledges that co-operation with major powers like theUnited States and Japan too is crucial.
“Malabar Exercise began in 1993 and it was a joint naval exercise betweenthe US and India. From 1993 till now, the scope and size of the exercisehas gone up. Japan has become a permanent member.
We learn from each other,” said Admiral Lanba, adding that no other countryshould have a problem with such exercises as they aren’t targetted at anycountry. China, in the past, has hinted at its reservations to the MalabarExercise.