South of Sri Lanka, in the Indian Ocean, the four Chinese ships are — Xiang Yang Hong 01, Xiang Yang Hong 03, Yuan Wang 03 and Da Yang Hao. Not one or two, but four or four Chinese ships are hovering near the Indian coast or planning to come towards it. New Delhi speculates that their motive is espionage. India may test launch the missile after a few days. At this time, the movement of Chinese ships in the area has worried India. At the same time, India is keeping an eye on Sri Lanka’s stance on allowing these ships to anchor.
4 Chinese ships near Indian coast
South of Sri Lanka, in the Indian Ocean, the four Chinese ships are — Xiang Yang Hong 01, Xiang Yang Hong 03, Yuan Wang 03 and Da Yang Hao. Among them, Xiang Yang Hong 01 and 03 have come very close to Sri Lanka. The other two are a bit further away. Yuan Wang 03 is off the coast of Indonesia. Da Yang Hao is located in a place between Indonesia and Sri Lanka. Analyzing the course of the ships, Indian intelligence speculates that they too are heading towards India’s south-east coast. In that case they can seek permission to anchor in Sri Lankan ports.
A few days ago, however, Beijing sought permission from Colombo to dock the Xiang Yang Hong 03 ship. China claimed that the ship had come to the region to carry out research. Sri Lanka did not give that permission to China. According to diplomatic sources, a few days ago Prime Minister Narendra Modi requested Sri Lanka not to allow Chinese ships to anchor in any port. It is assumed by diplomatic circles that Sri Lanka has taken a tough stand with the Chinese ship only after the request of the Indian Prime Minister to extend a hand of help during the severe financial crisis of the country. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka allowed a German research ship to anchor in Colombo to pick up food and fuel. That makes China even more excited.
Monitor of the Indian missiles
According to sources, Delhi is planning to test the missile in the next few days. Perhaps that is why Delhi has declared a 1600 km area in the Bay of Bengal-Indian Ocean as a ‘no fly zone’ on March 26-28 and April 3-4. New Delhi has no doubt that the purpose of the Chinese ship’s visit at that time was to monitor the movement of Indian missiles.
India test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile on March 11. Then an area of 3500 km was declared as ‘No Fly Zone’. At that time the Chinese vessel Xiang Yang Hong 01 was only 460 nautical kilometers away from Visakhapatnam. Around the same time the Xiang Yang Hong 03 anchored in Male, Maldives for ‘research’. It was then that India pulled out of the missile test program scheduled for March 13. According to sources, India took this decision to avoid surveillance of Chinese ships.
Indian Coast
A noteworthy and worrisome event was noticed off the coast of India early on March 27, 2024. Indian maritime surveillance discovered four Chinese naval vessels cruising close to the Indian coast. There have been increased military and diplomatic talks in New Delhi as a result of this unexpected presence. Over the past few years, tensions between the two regional powers have been intermittent but severe; this newest event has complicated their already tight relationship even further.
The Indian government and defense experts are closely monitoring this development in an attempt to understand China’s motivations for deploying these ships in such close proximity to Indian territorial seas. To comprehend and address the possible ramifications of this operation, a flurry of diplomatic correspondence and many high-level meetings within the Indian defense establishment have been triggered by the event.
Chinese Ships Detected
| Ship Name | Type | Displacement (tons) | Armament | Previous Known Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNS Haikou | Guided Missile Destroyer | 7,500 | Surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles | South China Sea patrols |
| CNS Jinggangshan | Amphibious Transport Dock | 19,000 | Helicopters, landing craft | Exercises in the Pacific |
| CNS Yuzhao | Landing Platform Dock | 25,000 | Helicopters, anti-aircraft systems | Humanitarian missions |
| CNS Lanzhou | Guided Missile Destroyer | 7,500 | Surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles | Indian Ocean patrols |
Timeline of Events
| Time (IST) | Event |
|---|---|
| 06:00 AM | Initial detection of Chinese ships by Indian maritime surveillance near the Andaman Islands |
| 07:30 AM | Confirmation of ship identities and classes by Indian Navy |
| 09:00 AM | First high-level meeting at the Ministry of Defence, chaired by the Defence Minister |
| 11:00 AM | Diplomatic note sent to the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi seeking clarification |
| 01:00 PM | Public statement by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs expressing concern |
| 03:00 PM | Deployment of additional Indian Navy assets to the area for monitoring |
| 05:00 PM | Second high-level meeting to discuss response strategies |
| 07:00 PM | Chinese government issues a statement explaining the movement as part of a routine exercise |
| 09:00 PM | Prime Minister addresses the nation, reassuring the public of India’s vigilance and readiness |
Concerns in Delhi
There is no denying that the sight of four Chinese naval vessels in the vicinity of the Indian coast on March 27, 2024, alarmed India’s defense and strategic establishment. This development occurs while both countries are negotiating a sensitive moment in their bilateral ties, which is characterized by recurring conflicts and a shared ambition to establish supremacy in the area.
India’s prompt and comprehensive response, which includes both diplomatic and high-level defense consultations, shows how seriously New Delhi takes this intrusion. India’s commitment to protecting its maritime borders is demonstrated by the Prime Minister’s public statements and the deployment of extra naval assets to monitor the situation.
The Indian strategic community is still dubious about the Chinese government’s attempt to minimize the event by characterizing it as a regular drill. Long-term effects of the incident are probably in store for India’s maritime policy and defense posture in the Indian Ocean region. This incident also emphasizes how important it is to have strong maritime domain awareness and improved naval capabilities in order to anticipate and stop similar actions in the future.
India will need to strike a balance between military readiness and diplomatic relations as the scenario develops. Increasing collaboration in global forums and reinforcing partnerships with other regional powers could also be useful countermeasures against China’s growing maritime aggression.
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Conclusion
Open-source maritime tracking data has revealed the presence of at least four Chinese research vessels in the Indian Ocean Region. This comes ahead of India’s expected ballistic-missile test, followed by its recent MIRV-capable Agni V ICBM test.
The Chinese research vessels Xiang Yang Hong 01 and Xiang Yang Hong 03 have raised major security concerns for New Delhi. The collection of military intelligence, which includes the deployment of submarines, concerns Indian officials in light of the impending nuclear-capable ballistic missile tests.
India’s missile testing operations have consistently coincided with the appearance of Chinese spy ships or research vessels near its coastline. The presence of these vessels is being closely monitored due to concerns about their intentions and potential impact on Indian defense activities.
Since 2019, India has witnessed Chinese spy ships monitoring its missile tests. The postponement of a scheduled missile test over the Bay of Bengal led experts to speculate that the spy ships were attempting to monitor India’s missile test operations. New NOTAMs were subsequently issued for air exercises near the coast of Bhuvaneshwar and Abdul Kalam Island.
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