CHINESE SPY SHIPS INCREASE 'RESEARCH' ACTIVITY IN INDIAN SEAS

India decided to postpone testing a long-range ballistic missile after it emerged that two Chinese research’ ships were sailing in the region.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA NEW DELHI

India's concern over Chinese "research" ships of the Yuan Wang series frequenting its maritime boundaries has been termed by some international and domestic strategic watchers as a "paranoia" and something that is based on an "incorrect" assessment.

However, a detailed analysis  first for of the capabilities of these ships reveals that for all practical purposes, they are capable of listening, detecting and observing signals and communication that a "research" ship should not be able to do, ideally. These floating and technologically advanced espionage centres are important for Chinese strategists, as until now they have not been able to develop a strong network of human intelligence in India because of multiple reasons.

The threat posed by these highly advanced Chinese vessels was first raised by India when one such ship, the Yuan Wang 5, announced that it would dock for a week at the Sri Lankan port of Hambantota in August. Despite India's aggressive posturing with the Sri Lankan authorities, it was unable to stop the ship from entering the port, which is owned by China because of Colombo's inability to pay its debts to the Chinese.

The said port is located in the extreme southern tip of Sri Lanka, about 450 km from India's Kanyakumari as the crow flies. Western intelligence agencies, tasked with tracking technological developments in the Chinese sphere, for years have been warning the relevant stakeholders and policymakers of the enormous capabilities of these ships that carry technological capabilities that match similar tools possessed by some of the most advanced global intelligence agencies.

The security concerns posed by these ships can be gauged from the fact that India, which had issued a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen),