Indian Navy steps up Indian Ocean operations

New Delhi: A strong message has been sent to China with deployment of Indian Navy in strength in the Indian Ocean Region, with top sources saying there is no reason for concern as far as PLA presence is concerned and the strategic Malacca strait is being kept under strict observation.As reported by ET, the navy and air force was pressed into action immediately after the Galwan clash on June 15, with sources saying operational warships have been at sea to consolidate presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).Sources said that coordinated action has been taken up by the three forces given the situation on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and daily joint meetings are being conducted to monitor the China situation. The navy has heightened presence along the strategic Malacca strait from where a bulk of China’s energy supplies pass through, with sources saying warships as well as aircraft have been deployed.“These operations will continue, we do not know for how long but we will remain alert. This is not a passive response. The Chinese Navy has ships in the Gulf of Aden but there is nothing alarming about their deployment in the IOR,” a source said.77231842Sources said that while steps were taken to check on the PLA Navy’s intentions in the region after the clash, the Chinese side has been occupied in the South China Sea with current assets. “The two US aircraft carrier strike groups and the frictions with Japan and Taiwan has kept them contained to the South China Sea,” a source said.India is also embarking on a major plan to strengthen military infrastructure in the Andaman Nicobar islands. Without going into details, sources said that the islands will be of utmost importance in coming years to project power as China extends its reach into the Indian Ocean.“China sees itself as a global power. They don’t want to be limited by land disputes. Their ambition is the seas – and they requires resources and markets that are available in places like Africa. This means that they will significantly increase their presence in the oceans and will move westwards. We need to be ready to counter or match them,” another source said.India is also gearing up for an extensive exercise with the US and Japan in the Bay of Bengal under the Malabar series later this year, though the participation of the fourth member of the so called quad – Australia – is yet to be decided on. The Malabar series and similar exercises with Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore and Australia are part of the larger plan to check the growing Chinese influence and maritime activity in the region.

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/2DjDlvN