Indian Navy 'under threat' following Chinese activity in Sri Lanka
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China has provoked the ire of the Indian navy after Xi Jinping’s regime secured the construction of a new port city in Sri Lanka. New Delhi has responded cautiously to the move which could see Beijing project power into the Indian Ocean. India’s naval forces are said to be watching developments in Sri Lanka closely amid growing tensions between the two rival nuclear-armed states.
WION correspondent Eric Njoka told the India-based network: “The Chinese are increasingly getting active in the Indian Ocean region.
“Their activities around Sri Lanka is under the scanner of New Delhi.
“The Chinese Navy taking control of projects in Sri Lanka and that could pose a threat to India’s maritime interests.”
It comes as the vice chief of India’s Navy said that his forces are very well prepared to secure the maritime boundaries of the country.
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Vice-Admiral G. Ashok Kumar told WION: “You want to analyze if it is a threat or not, it is a very difficult question.
“But the fact is that say when someone who is external to the region starts showing so much interest”
“Though they might have rational reasons for it because their energy source too permanently passes through these water.
He added: “If you look actually at multinational forces they are at any given time about 80 ships from various countries which operate in the Northern Arabian Sea.
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“Because of their own national interests.
“So it is a logical thing for nations to do? Yes,” added the commander.
“Could that pose a threat to us? It could do.
“So we just need to ensure that it is being closely watched.”
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China has been making recent inroads in Sri Lanka and recently secured plans for a reclaimed port city near Columbo.
This has led some to query whether the Chinese could take India by surprise in a possible naval clash.
Vice Admiral Kumar said the Indian navy has taken “a number of steps” such as the instalment of a “coastal security network.”
He added the country was looking to deploy further “enhanced surveillance” to monitor Chinese ship movements in the region.
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