Cautious over China’s growing military prowess and its Navy making forays into the Indian Ocean, India has not invited its eastern neighbour for a mega international naval exercise “Milan” next year. Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh said here on Tuesday that only like-minded nations are invited for the event.
He also said the Indian Navy recently asked a Chinese research vessel to leave after it was found in the Indian waters near Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands. “Our stand is that if you have to work in our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) then you have to take our permission,” Singh said. The Chinese ship sailed away from the Indian EEZ after the Navy’s warning.
Asked if the Chinese ship Shi Yan I was on a spying mission in the Indian Ocean region, Singh said the Chinese ships carry out deep sea mining in certain areas and are also engaged in research and satellite launch operations. “At least seven to eight ships are always present in the Indian Ocean region for anti-piracy operations,” he said, while addressing the annual Press conference on the eve of the Navy Day on Wednesday.
Like India, China also is part of the international effort to check sea piracy in the Gulf of Aden.
Ships of both the countries are engaged in anti-piracy operations.
On not inviting China for the “Milan” series of exercises where more than 41 countries, including the US, UK, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Israel, France, Kuwait, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Bahrain and Sri Lanka, will take part in March next year off Visakhapatnam, Singh said “like-minded” nations were invited for the event.
When asked to elaborate, the Navy chief said the Indian Navy has over the years carried out exercises with many countries who will participate in the mega event held every two years.
To another question about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jingping calling for closer naval cooperation and the possibility of a joint exercise between India and China, Singh replied in lighter vein, “the question is above my pay grade.” Incidentally, the two countries will hold the eighth joint army exercise “Hand in Hand” in Meghalaya later this month.
Sources in the security establishment later said China was not invited to Milan exercise as India did not want to legitimise its presence in the Indian Ocean region as China can later claim that it has participated in exercises in the region.
Milan is held every two years off Port Blair since 1995 when less than a dozen navies of the Indian Ocean region took part. Since then, the prestigious event has grown in stature and 41 nations will now come together for the exercise at Visakhapatnam.
The Navy chief said the venue was shifted to this city given the bigger magnitude of the event. The eastern seaboard provided more space and depth for carrying out exercise at a big scale as compared to seas off Port Blair.