New Delhi, 29 November: India is now strengthening its security network with the support of friendly countries to prevent and monitor China’s increasing interference in the Indian Ocean. For this purpose, India has established maritime surveillance radars in Sri Lanka, Mauritius, and Seychelles, and soon the Maldives, preparing to put the radar in Myanmar and Bangladesh. For the purpose of keeping an eye on the Indian Ocean region, India has entered into cooperation agreements with multinational agencies of 22 countries. The Indian Navy is also undertaking white shipping agreements with 36 countries to support each other in maritime operations.
The Navy is strengthening its military strength in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands after besieging China at the Ladakh border. India plans to surround China in the Indian Ocean so that more pressure can be put on the dragon. The presence of Chinese fishing vessels in the Indian Ocean region has increased. On average, there were 300 Chinese fishing vessels every year, but this number has increased to 450 last year. 75 percent of the world’s maritime trade and 50 percent of global consumption passes into the Indian Ocean region. Apart from this, there are about 12 thousand commercial ships and 300 fishing vessels in the ocean area at all times, which always needs monitoring.
In fact, China keeps an eye on the 3,488 km long Line of Actual Control (LAC) as well as the Indian Ocean region. China’s growing presence in the Indian Ocean region has been a strategic concern for India. Chinese naval ships and submarines are constantly present in the area on the pretext of anti-piracy operations. There has been a steady increase in the deployment of Chinese research vessels in the Indian Ocean region and India has held Chinese research vessels several times. In September last year, a Chinese vessel that came close to Indian territory was intercepted by the Indian Navy. Suspected of being on a spy mission, he was driven back.
India has entered into cooperation agreements with multinational agencies of 22 countries including Australia, France, Italy, Japan, Maldives, United States, New Zealand, Mauritius, Myanmar, and Bangladesh for the purpose of keeping an eye on the Indian Ocean region. Any kind of information is shared instantly. In addition, the International Fusion Center was established in December 2018 to provide maritime information to member countries. The Indian Navy is proceeding to enter into a White Shipping Agreement with 36 countries of which 22 have been signed and negotiations are on with the rest of the countries. Recently, the Indian Navy conducted a four-nation Malabar exercise in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, which included Australia, America, and Japan along with India.
Given China’s interference in the Indian Ocean region, India is expanding cooperation with its neighboring allies. So India security system has been set up coastal surveillance radar systems in neighboring allied with the intention of strengthening. So far radars have been installed in Sri Lanka, Mauritius, and Seychelles and very soon will also be installed in Maldives, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. The process of installing surveillance radar systems has started in these three countries and the need is felt to install radar in at least 12 other friendly countries. With these surveillance radar systems, China can be closely monitored. It is capable of detecting small boats, fishing boats, ships and can monitor any illegal activities at sea.
India has recently handed over the INS Sindhuveer submarine to Myanmar, which is the first submarine in Myanmar’s naval fleet, as support to friendly countries. India has already supplied a variety of military hardware and software to Myanmar. India had earlier supplied two Ming-class diesel-electric submarines to Bangladesh in 2016 as part of increased defense cooperation between neighboring allies. is. It is then planned to deliver a yuan-class submarine to Thailand in 2023. India has also built the Sittwe port in Myanmar under the Kaladan Transport Project. The new entrance to the North-East will connect this transit project to Kolkata with the Sittwe port in Myanmar. This will reduce the distance from Kolkata to Mizoram by about one thousand kilometers and will reduce travel time by four days. (HC).