The 16th installment of the China navy escort fleet conducts a two-ship alongside replenishment in the eastern waters of the Indian Ocean in a file photo. Photo: Twitter
Asia Times: China eyes a Covid-19 edge in the Indian Ocean
China is leveraging coronavirus confusion and distraction to make gains in rival India’s maritime backyard
If Chinese military planners thought they could use the Covid-19 crisis to steal a march in the Indian Ocean, they may have been mistaken. India may be under the world’s largest coronavirus lockdown, but its navy is not.
On April 14, the Indian Navy issued a public statement saying that its Eastern Naval Command’s Dornier squadron continues its maritime surveillance missions and that its naval assets remain “mission-ready and prepared for immediate deployment should the need arise.”
The statement was likely prompted by the discovery of a dozen China-deployed Haiyi, or Sea Wing, underwater drones in the eastern Indian Ocean, India’s traditional sphere of influence. The drones, known as Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs), are purportedly used for scientific research for deep-sea mining and other commercial activities.
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Update: China Enters Indian Ocean at Time of COVID-19 Crisis, India’s Navy Hurting More Than Expected (Sputnik)
WNU Editor: India has issued a warning to China on their naval deployments in the Indian Ocean .... India issues warning after China antagonises New Delhi with warships in Indian Ocean (Express). But it looks like China is not concerned .... Why Does China Think Indian Navy As Incompetent and Unprepared for War (EurAsian Times)