In a significant development, the Indian Navy recently drove away a suspicious Chinese vessel operating in the Indian waters near Port Blair.
The Chinese research vessel Shi Yan 1 was carrying out research activities in the Indian waters near Port Blair in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and was detected by maritime surveillance aircraft operating there, government sources told ANI.
Sources said the vessel could have also been used by the Chinese to spy on the Indian activities in the Island territory from where India can keep a close eye on the maritime movements in the IOR and South-East Asian region.
After the vessel was detected by the agencies and found out that it was carrying out research activities in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone, an Indian Navy warship was sent there to monitor it.
Since laws do not allow foreign countries to carry out any research or exploration activities in the Indian EEZ, the Indian Navy warship asked the Chinese research vessel to move out of Indian waters.
After being cautioned by the Indian Navy, the Chinese Shi Yan 1 vessel left Indian waters and moved to its other destination probably towards China, the sources said.
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The Indian Navy keeps a constant vigil on the Chinese vessels which enter the Indian Ocean Region from the Malacca Straits near the Indian Navy's area of responsibility.
Recently, the Indian Navy's P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft had detected seven Chinese Navy warships operating in and around the Indian Ocean Region.
ANI has first reported about the Indian Navy's constant monitoring capabilities with exclusive pictures of the Chinese Landing Platform Dock Xian-32.
The P-8I anti-submarine warfare and long-range surveillance aircraft had clicked the pictures and are constantly tracking activities and movements of the Chinese vessels while operating here.
The Chinese Navy frequently enters Indian waters with the stated aim of going for anti-piracy patrols but the Indian side does not buy this fully as the Chinese warships are accompanied by nuclear and conventional submarines which do not make sense in anti-piracy operations.