Indian Navy’sP-8I spy planes successfully track Chinese amphibious warship Xian-32 in Southern Indian Ocean Region | Photo Credit: ANI

Key Highlights China has maintained a strong presence in IOR since 2008 The PLAN base at Djibouti has further strengthened its 'anti piracy' ops

New Delhi: Indian Navy’s P-8I spy planes, on Monday successfully tracked Chinese amphibious warship Xian-32 in Southern Indian Ocean Region. Pics of Landing Platform Dock Xian 32 clicked by P-8I surveillance aircraft in the half of September before it entered Sri Lankan waters, were released by news agencies attributing to Indian Navy sources.

The P-8I also tracked another Chinese frigate that is part of its anti-piracy escort task force deployed in the Gulf of Aden to provide security to Chinese merchant vessels from Somali sea pirates. "Pic was taken when the frigate was passing through the Indian Ocean," news agency ANI reported.

According to ANI, the Chinese warships include three vessels of anti-piracy escort task force 32 and 33. "They are being constantly monitored during their presence in the Indian Ocean when they pass closer to Indian exclusive economic zone and territorial waters," a source was quoted as saying by the news agency.

According to the report, the deployment is more than usual as otherwise, People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) deploys around six to seven warships in the region for anti-piracy operations. PLAN has also built a base at Djibouti.

Citing sources, the agency report said that there has been a constant presence of Chinese warships in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and the Djibouti base was added in order to strengthen its anti-piracy operations in the region.

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"Indian Navy ships were also Mission Deployed for Operation 'GULFDEP' in the Persian Gulf, Operation 'CENTDEP' in the central Indian Ocean Region, Operation 'NORDEP' in the northern Bay of Bengal and Operation 'MALDEP' in the Andaman Sea and approaches to the Malacca Strait," Navy officials said.