News Brief
Another Chinese Spy Ship Enters Indian Ocean As India Plans Missile Test: Here's What We Know So Far
Yuan Wang 03
As India gears up to test another nuclear ballistic missile in the coming weeks, a new Chinese spy vessel has begun its movement into the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), raising concerns about heightened surveillance in the area.
As per reports by The Print, the Yuan Wang 03, equipped with satellite and ballistic missile tracking capabilities, will be the fourth Chinese spy ship in the region, joining the Xiang Yang Hong 01, Xiang Yang Hong 02, and Da Yang Hao, which are already present.
While India was originally supposed to test-fire two nuclear-capable ballistic missiles — the K4 submarine-launched ballistic missile and the land-based Agni-V — between 11 and 16 March, only the former was done.
However, a fresh Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) has been issued by India for 3 and 4 April over the Bay of Bengal.
Spanning a range of 1,600 kilometers, this NOTAM signals India's intent to launch Agni Prime, the forthcoming generation of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles in the nation's arsenal.
While the Indian Navy is closely monitoring the movement of ships in the IOR, concerns arise over China's increasing surveillance activities in the region.
Also noteworthy is the fact that this is not the first instance of Chinese vessels entering the IOR ahead of planned Indian missile tests, raising suspicions about their intentions.
Among other instances, In November 2022, the Yuan Wang 06, a Chinese research vessel capable of tracking missile tests, entered the IOR days before a planned missile test.
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