China’s naval wooing of India’s neighbors has compelled the Indian Navy to step up vigilance of its maritime domain. As of now the Indian Navy is sanguine about monitoring Chinese naval activity on both its oceanic flanks.
New Delhi (Sputnik) — The Indian Navy has geared up for heightened Chinese activity in the oceans around its territorial waters.
"We have the capability and assets to take on any force which is deployed, and if and when this happens, we have plans in place to tackle it. PLA nuclear submarine was deployed and did a port call at Karachi. As far as deployment of PLA navy, ships and submarines are concerned, we keep a close eye and monitor their movement," says Indian Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba.
This is for the first time a senior Indian defense official has mentioned activity by a Chinese submarine near its western coast.
Indian Navy'’s revelation about Chinese submarine deployment in Pakistani territory comes in the backdrop of recent announcement by Bangladesh Navy that would take delivery of two old refurbished Chinese Type 035G Ming-class diesel-electric submarines by March 2017.
It will further increase Chinese naval activity in the Bay of Bengal.
"The long-term submarine training and maintenance needs of Bangladesh Navy would enable China’s military presence in the Bay of Bengal, and enable it to collate sensitive data for PLA Navy’s submarine operations in the future," says Captain Gurmeet S Khurana, Executive Director at National Maritime Foundation.
The Pakistani government claims that China proposes to deploy its naval assets in Pakistani maritime boundary to safeguard Gwadar port, which is the gateway to the USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
This story first appeared on Sputnik & is reposted here with permission.