New Delhi: The Indian Navy is currently monitoring the movements of three Chinese research vessels – Xiang Yang Hong 03, Zhong Shan Da Xue, and Ying Wang 7 – operating in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
While China asserts these vessels are engaged in scientific research, Indian and Western authorities harbor suspicions regarding their true intentions.
According to UNESCO, Zhong Shan Da Xue is China's largest oceanographic research vessel, equipped as a state-of-the-art floating laboratory for deep-sea exploration.
However, concerns have arisen due to the potential for this vessel to gather data crucial for naval operations, particularly submarine warfare. A note prepared by the Indian Navy suggests that such unencumbered and suspicious activity within Sri Lankan waters could disrupt the delicate maritime balance in the IOR.
Xiang Yang Hong 03, belonging to the latest class of research vessels, possesses advanced remote-sensing equipment capable of exploring depths up to 10,000 meters.
It is believed that this vessel is collecting hydrographic data, including information on currents, bathymetry, and water salinity, which are relevant to both civilian and military purposes.
Defense and open-source intelligence analyst H.I. Sutton has suggested that some of the survey activities near Indonesia and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands might be related to locating US Navy "fish hook" sensor networks designed to track Chinese submarines entering the Indian Ocean.
