June 2013 News 6 NAVY RED FLAGS CHINESE SUBMARINES IN INDIAN OCEAN

NAVY RED FLAGS CHINESE SUBMARINES IN INDIAN OCEAN

A classified defence ministry document has revealed that an increasing number of Chinese submarines venturing into the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) pose a danger to India's security and economic interests, as a HT correspondent reports.
It has also warned that the 'implicit focus' of the Chinese navy appears to be undermining the Indian navy's maritime edge 'to control highly sensitive sealines of communication' in a region that the navy views as its area of responsibility.
The IOR stretches from the Horn of Africa to the Malacca Strait and Southwards to the western shores of Australia.

Brewing Tension

(1) China has encircled India with a network of ports and facilities in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Seychelles and Pakistan's Gwadar port, the culmination of the string of pearl' model.
(2) Severe rivalry between the two navies may arise within the next three years as China ramps up its strategic manoeuvres in the IOR.

The Gwadar port, located in southwest Pakistan is operated by China. The study said that the port would "facilitate enormous command and control capability for prospective Chinese presence in the IOR."
The document, titled'Indian Navy'. Perceived Threats to subsurface Deterrent Capability and Preparedness, has been prepared by the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) whose mandate includes advising the government on developing force levels and capabilities.
It predicts intense rivalry between the two navies within the next three years as China ramps up its strategic manoeuvres in the IOR. Chinese navy's "extended patrols may fully overlap with the Indian Navy's area of operation," the document said.
It also cautions against the Chinese navy building up expeditionary maritime capabilities in the form of nuclear powered submarines and area denial weapons in large numbers 'with deployment focus in the IOR'.
Citing subsurface contact data shared by the US forces, the IDS document said at least 22 contacts were recorded with vessels suspected to be Chinese attack submarines on patrol outside Beijing's territorial waters last year. Of these, five contacts have been corroborated by intelligence data shared by Asean countries, a development the navy views as a'grave operational concern.'