ISLAMABAD: Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Vice Chief of the Indian Navy, hasacknowledged that India is keeping a close watch on China’s ongoingtransfer of advanced submarines and surface combatants to Pakistan,describing the development as a matter of serious concern for regionalstrategic stability.
Speaking at a maritime security seminar in New Delhi, the senior navalofficer stated that the Indian Navy remains fully aware of Beijing’smilitary assistance to Islamabad. He emphasised that all such acquisitionsby Pakistan are under constant monitoring through multiple intelligence andsurveillance platforms.
The remarks come amid reports that China is delivering the first batch ofHangor-class submarines under an eight-boat contract signed in 2015. Fourof the submarines are being constructed at the Wuchang ShipbuildingIndustry Group facility while the remaining four are under construction atKarachi Shipyard with Chinese technical assistance.
Analysts view the induction of these air-independent propulsion submarinesas a significant boost to Pakistan Navy’s underwater warfare capability inthe Arabian Sea, potentially altering the balance of power in the northernIndian Ocean region.
India has repeatedly raised concerns over the expanding Sino-Pakistanidefence partnership, particularly the transfer of dual-use navaltechnology. New Delhi maintains that such supplies contribute to an armsrace and complicate crisis stability between the two nuclear-armedneighbours.
The Indian Navy has responded by accelerating its own modernisation drive,including the lease of additional Akula-class nuclear-powered attacksubmarines from Russia and fast-tracking indigenous submarine andanti-submarine warfare programmes.
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Diplomatic circles in Islamabad believe the statement reflects India’sunease over Pakistan’s growing naval reach, especially at a time when theChina-Pakistan Economic Corridor is expanding maritime cooperation betweenthe two all-weather allies.
Source:www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/indian-navy-monitoring-chinese-submarine-supply-to-pakistan-vice-chief-101732584628901.html”>https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/indian-navy-monitoring-chinese-submarine-supply-to-pakistan-vice-chief-101732584628901.html
Source:www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/navy-vice-chief-says-india-keeping-close-eye-on-chinese-submarines-for-pakistan”>https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/navy-vice-chief-says-india-keeping-close-eye-on-chinese-submarines-for-pakistan
