 "China sends spy ship into Indian Ocean ahead of Agni-V test")
New Delhi: Even as India and China engage in a prolonged military stand-off in the icy heights of Ladakh, the two nations are also involved in a naval tussle thousands of kilometers away - among the deep blue waters of the Indian Ocean.
Now that India is going to conduct a test of the ballistic missile Agni-V in the Bay of Bengal next week, China has sent a spy vessel into the Indian Ocean. This Chinese ship has been identified as the Yuan Wang-5.
According to the Indian Navy, this Chinese vessel has been spotted in the Sunda Strait of Indonesia. This is the same ship that had landed at the Hambantota port in Sri Lanka last August.
This 20 thousand ton vessel is equipped with a large antenna, advanced sensors and other electronic equipment. It is operated by a crew of more than 400 members.
Recently India has issued a NOTAM notice to declare the Bay of Bengal as a no fly zone ahead of another test of the Agni-V ballistic missile which is scheduled to take place on December 15-16 from the Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.
With a declared range of 5 thousand kilometers, the Agni-V has the capability to hit deep into China. That is why the this ballistic missile has created a lot of panic in China.
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View AllNow it remains to be seen whether the missile will be tested as per the schedule or there will be a change in the timing. Last month, when the Agni-III missile with a range of 3,000 km was tested, the time was changed.
According to the rules, all countries are allowed to navigate their ships in international waters. That is why this spy ship of China cannot be stopped by India. This ship is part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Strategic Support Force and its primary task is to track and support satellites and ballistic missiles. Chinese ships often come to the Indian Ocean to collect data and make oceanographic maps.
China’s PLA Navy (PLAN) is the largest naval force in the world with a fleet of at least 355 warships. Apart from this, it has established its logistics base in Cambodia, Seychelles and Mauritius as well as in the countries of East Africa.
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