At the same time that India is conducting missile tests in the Bay of Bengal, another Chinese research and space-tracking vessel is now cruising in the Indian Ocean. Similar Chinese spy ship docking at Hambantota in August had sparked a significant diplomatic dispute between India and Sri Lanka.
However, the Strategic Forces Command’s user trial of the Agni series ballistic missile scheduled for next week is now might be postponed. “China has been regularly sending such spy ships to the IOR in the past to gather technical intelligence, often around the time India tests its missiles. Such vessels can track the speed, accuracy and range of ballistic missiles,” TOI reported quoting an internal source.
Early on Friday morning, the almost 22,000-tonne Yuan Wang-6, which has enormous antennae, cutting-edge surveillance technology, and sensors that can follow long-range ballistic missile trajectories and monitor satellite launches, was travelling off the Indonesian island of Bali.
Since entering the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) through the Sunda Strait of Indonesia a few days ago, the Yuan Wang-6, which has a crew of about 400 and is under the command of the Strategic Support Force of the People’s Liberation Army, has been “closely monitored” by the Indian Navy.
The Bay of Bengal was covered by an increased no-fly zone as a result of an earlier NOTAM (notice to airmen) that India had issued in preparation for its long-range ballistic missile test on November 10–11.
Just two days ago, a new AD-1interceptor missile for Phase-II of the indigenous two-tier BMD system was tested from Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.
Early in August, India expressed to Sri Lanka its grave concerns regarding the docking of the Yuan Wang-5 at its southern port of Hambantota. Due to this, Colombo initially decided to postpone the docking; however, after doing a U-turn, they approved it from August 16 to 22.
The US has also raised red flags about the Chinese ship’s arrival at Hambantota.
The frequent presence of Chinese warships in the IOR is not illegal, however, the concerns of India are strategic, which is that China is steadily making the case for the use of Hambantota by its warships and submarines for logistical replenishments after leasing the port for 99 years for commercial reasons in 2017.
