A suspected Chinese spy ship apparently camouflaged as a fishing trawler, possibly deployed to keep an eye on Indian military activities, has been detected by the Navy near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The incident reinforces the assessment of increasing Chinese presence and interest in the Indian Ocean Region and the Bay of Bengal. The ship was detected nearly four months ago in the international waters and may have been used to track Indian missiles tests and movements of other aircraft and warships, Navy sources said here on Tuesday.
The Navy warships could not take any action against it as it was not in the Indian territorial waters, but kept a close watch on its activities there.
“In the coming years, the presence of Chinese ships will increase around Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean with the inclusion of their aircraft carrier,” defence analyst Commander Sunil Chauhan (retd.) said. — PTI
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