2024-08-28 18:17:32
New Delhi : The ‘big game’ between India and China continues for strategic influence in the Indian Ocean region. On the other hand, the dispute over the LAC also persists between the two countries. An advance Indian warship, the guided-missile destroyer INS Mumbai, docked in Colombo on Monday morning. At this time, three Chinese warships also reached Colombo. Since then, there has been a stir in the neighboring country. “Some of the Chinese warships are part of their anti-piracy escort force. An Indian defense establishment official said that now Chinese warships are staying in the Indian Ocean region for much longer than before.
Three Chinese warships arrived in Colombo
The official said that China’s growing naval presence in the Indian Ocean region, as well as the demand for additional logistics turnaround facilities in the region, has become a major challenge for India. He said that of course, the Indian Navy with 140 warships definitely needs a substantial force to ‘keep an eye’ on Pakistan and ‘contain’ China in the Indian Ocean region. The Indian Navy kept a close watch on the three Chinese warships, destroyer Hefei and landing platform docks Wuzhishan and Qianshan, from the time they entered the Indian Ocean region to the time they docked in Colombo. These warships have a combined crew of about 1,500 personnel.
India’s strength will increase at sea, P17 Alpha stealth frigate INS ‘Nilgiri’ will be handed over to the Navy, know its specialties
Welcoming INS Mumbai
Sri Lanka welcomed INS Mumbai. This warship is commanded by Captain Sandeep Kumar. Captain Kumar is accompanied by a crew of 410 sailors. At the same time, Chinese warships were also welcomed “following naval traditions”. INS Mumbai and Chinese warships are scheduled to conduct separate ‘passage exercises’ with Sri Lankan warships on their departure. India, which has already lost to Beijing in the Maldives, has been forced to sign a defense cooperation agreement with the Mohammed Muizzu government and India has been forced to withdraw its military personnel to operate a Dornier aircraft and two advanced light helicopters.
China launches its most advanced submarine ever, equipped with vertical launch missiles, India’s tension will increase!
Now the docking of Chinese warships in Colombo is certainly not good news for India. India has lodged its strong protest with Sri Lanka in the past. At that time Sri Lanka had allowed Chinese warships, spy ships and submarines to anchor at Sri Lankan ports.
All eyes on Sri Lanka’s presidential election
Amid this strategic tussle, all eyes are now on the Sri Lankan presidential elections scheduled for September 21. For India, President Ranil Wickremesinghe is still a better contender than National People’s Power’s Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Dissanayake is considered pro-China. With the world’s largest navy with over 360 warships and submarines, China is steadily strengthening its “underwater domain awareness” in the Indian Ocean region. Our sister newspaper Times of India had already reported that China is experimenting with mapping oceanographic and other data useful for navigation and submarine operations through its almost permanent deployment of survey and research ‘spy’ ships in the region.
Purchase of anti-submarine equipment, joint production of fighter jet engines, and on which issues India and America should move forward together
Concern over China-Pakistan collusion
The rapidly growing China-Pakistan collusion in the maritime domain is also a major concern, an official said. China is helping Pakistan build a strong navy, having already provided four Type 054A/P multi-role frigates. Eight Yuan-class diesel-electric submarines are also in the pipeline. “By 2028-29, Pakistan will have a force equal to India’s Western Naval Command.