The upcoming visit of a Chinese research vessel to the Maldives has created unrest in India's strategic community. Although the ship is classified as a research vessel intended to map the bottom of the Indian Ocean, Indian officials consider it a spy ship. Sri Lanka refused to allow the Chinese ship to dock in its territory. However, the Maldives has welcomed the ship to dock in its waters despite India's objections.
This comes as the newly elected government in Male, with a clear mandate against India, is warming up to Beijing over New Delhi, asking India to withdraw its troops from the island. Mint explains why India is unhappy with the Chinese ship making its way through the Indian Ocean to the Maldives.
What exactly happens?
News emerged on Monday that a Chinese research vessel, Xiang Yang Hong 3, will visit the Maldives in the coming weeks. The ship had previously requested permission to visit Sri Lanka but was denied. According to numerous reports, the Indian government is aware of the ship's movements and is monitoring it closely.
What is India's concern?
A number of such Chinese ships have visited the Indian Ocean in recent years. India is concerned that these ships, which have advanced surveillance capabilities, are also being used to monitor sensitive Indian military tests. Experts say the collection of data related to seabeds and oceans by these Chinese ships could be useful to Beijing in planning future conflicts and conducting anti-submarine warfare operations.
What does this say about the relationship between China and the Maldives?
During the tenure of former Maldives President Ibrahim Solih, the country saw little military cooperation with China. However, this visit to the research vessel comes at a time when newly elected President Mohamed Muizzu has been working to improve ties with China. The country was the site of his first visit as president and a slew of agreements were signed.
The revival of bilateral ties could lead to an increased Chinese military presence in the Indian Ocean. However, analysts have pointed out that Muizzu's government has said little about reviving a proposal for a joint observation facility that has been on hold for some time. This could indicate Muizzu's desire to balance India's influence in the region without relying too much on China.
How is India likely to respond?
While India has yet to comment on this latest development, New Delhi is unlikely to be happy about it. Muizzu's government has let an agreement on hydrographic cooperation with the Indian army expire and has also asked that Indian soldiers be allowed to leave the country. The visit of the Chinese ship to the Maldives will increase tensions between the two sides. India also reacted negatively during previous visits of Chinese ships to Sri Lanka.