Insta
INS Kolkata, a Project 15A - the same class as Chennai - guided missile destroyer. (Indian Navy)
Warships of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), which sailed into the East Indian Ocean this month, reportedly to deter Indian intervention in the Maldives, have returned to the South China Sea as Indian Navy continues heavy deployment in the region, the Business Standard has reported.
According to a Reuters report, which cited a report on Chinese website Sina.com, a fleet of destroyers and at least one frigate, a 30,000-tone amphibious transport dock and three support tankers entered the Indian Ocean earlier this month.
The PLAN had posted pictures and a story on rescue training exercises taking place in the East Indian Ocean on its official Twitter-like Weibo account.
Eleven warships had entered the Indian Ocean, the report claimed. However, other reports, including one in The Print, suggested that five Chinese warships had entered the Eastern Indian Ocean while two groups of three warships were already present in the Western Indian Ocean.
The Chinese Navy flotilla had entered the Eastern Indian Ocean through the Sunda Strait and returned to the South China Sea through the Lombok Strait.
This development comes when President Abdulla Yameen of the Maldives, who has declared an emergency in the country after refusing to comply with a Supreme Court ruling, is consolidating power in his hands. Yamen, often regarded as pro-China, has arrested the Chief Justice of the country, another Supreme Court judge and former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
In a dramatic judgement on 2 February, the top court ordered the release of nine political prisoners, including exiled former President Nasheed, saying their trials were "politically motivated". It also overturned a ruling that disqualified 12 members of parliament after defection, giving the opposition a majority in the Majlis.
Under Yameen, the Maldives has not only seen a decline in democratic freedoms, but also a rise in Chinese influence. China has invested in multiple infrastructure projects and has signed a free trade agreement with the country. Yameen has ignored repeated snubs from New Delhi and has not shown sensitivity towards India’s security concerns in face of increasing Chinese influence in the island nation.
India has said that it is closely monitoring the situation in the Maldives. While many sections have called for a military intervention, the government has stayed away from signalling that it is considering the option.
Describing the conflict as an internal crisis of the Maldives, China has said that no outside power should intervene. However, state-run Chinese media has warned India against a military intervention, saying China would respond to any such action.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.
Latest