India turned down a Chinese offer to help it in searching for the missing Malaysian airliner in an area that is the Indian Navy’s backyard. The Chinese made a request detailing the equipment and personnel aboard four vessels to enter the waters of the Andaman Sea.
India has already mounted search operations in a wider maritime area including the place requested for by the Chinese following a formal request by Malaysia to scour an area of about 5,000 km in the Indian Ocean. On Friday, two of its sophisticated planes will operate from Malaysia, while some from its P-8 I and C-130 Hercules squadrons are already conducting operations over the area requested by Malaysia.
“In addition to Coast Guard vessels, four naval warships are at work in the Bay of Bengal, the Andaman Sea & West of Andaman Islands,” said naval officials.
The Chinese had sent the request for permitting four vessels, of which one was a salvage ship and two were warships, for search operations in the Andaman Sea.
The Chinese were informed of the deployment of Indian military assets in the search of the plane and told that their assistance was not required.
