India raises objection with Sri Lanka, Maldives over inbound Chinese survey vessel

India has raised objections with both Sri Lanka and Maldives after Beijing sought permission from both the countries to allow a Research Survey Vessel to dock at their ports and conduct a deep water exploration of South Indian Ocean from 5 January till late May, 2024. According to a Hindustan Times report, vessel Xiang Yang Hong 03 is currently off the coast of Xiamen in South China Sea and will travel via Malacca to these countries after securing permission. Chinese Research Survey Vessel Shi Yan 6 had recently completed its survey off the coast of Sri Lanka and reached Singapore on 2 December. The apprehensions expressed by India regarding Chinese ballistic missile trackers and Research Surveillance Ships being permitted by Sri Lanka, coupled with a pro-China government in the Maldives, stem from concerns that Beijing might exploit these vessels for intelligence-gathering on India under the guise of marine exploration, the report added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed this issue with President Ranil Wickremesinghe on 21 July, 2023, emphasising the importance of Sri Lanka respecting India’s strategic concerns. China’s rapid expansion of its maritime capabilities, including the acquisition of three aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines, and guided missile destroyers by the PLA Navy, has led to an increased presence in the Indian Ocean. Establishing naval bases from Cambodia to Djibouti, China has invested in ports in countries such as Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Iran, and the UAE, signaling a strategic approach to future naval operations. Under the guise of marine exploration, Beijing is actively mapping the Indian Ocean bed from the ninety-degree ridge south of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the deep South Indian Ocean. This meticulous mapping serves as groundwork for potential submarine operations extending to the coast of Africa. Given the PLA’s existing anti-piracy operations off the coast of Africa and the Gulf of Aden, it appears inevitable that Chinese carrier strike forces will soon patrol international waters in the Indian Ocean. Notably, a recent joint exercise between the Chinese Navy and the Pakistan Navy off the Makran Coast featured a PLA Song-class diesel hunter-killer submarine engaging in specialised “sea bottoming” operations, highlighting China’s growing maritime influence. With inputs from agencies