India tracks Chinese vessels operating in Indian Ocean Region

New Delhi: Presently, seven Chinese Navy warships are operating in and around the Indian Ocean Region, including an over 27,000 tonnes amphibious vessel, which have been tracked closely by the Indian Navy using its American-origin P-8I anti-submarine warfare spy planes and other surveillance assets.
In exclusive pictures accessed by ANI, Chinese Landing Platform Dock Xian-32 can be seen passing through the Southern Indian Ocean Region before it entered the Sri Lankan waters earlier this month. The P-8I anti-submarine warfare and long-range surveillance aircraft have clicked the pictures and are constantly tracking activities and movements of the Chinese vessels while operating here.
Apart from the LPD, the Chinese warships include three each vessel of its counter-piracy escort task force 32 and counter-piracy escort taskforce 33 which would exchange positions in the Gulf of Aden where they would be deployed.
“They are being constantly monitored during their presence in the Indian Ocean when they pass closer to Indian exclusive economic zone and territorial waters,” sources said.
At any point of time, the Chinese Navy deploys around six to seven warships in the region in the name of carrying out anti-piracy drills in the Gulf of Aden but looking at the requirements there, the deployment seems to be more than what is needed.
Sources added that the main aim of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Navy seems to be power projection in the Indian Ocean Region as they want to spread their influence in the area from where a majority of their trade passes through.