China is not desirous of antics, submarines may turn towards Indian Ocean

Posted on 27th Jun 2020 by rohit kumar

China, which has been targeted by many countries around the world on the coronavirus, is not getting away with its antics. After raising a dispute with its neighbors, China can now take the next step, which will worry many countries of the world. In the coming times, China may turn to the Indian Ocean. If China turns its submarines towards the Indian Ocean, then it could have a wider strategic impact.

 

 

According to a report published in Forbes magazine, from the Chinese side, the deployment of its submarines in the Indian Ocean would help it in times of war. Currently, India has the largest number of submarines in the South-Asia region. At the same time, the expansion of China's navy is a matter of concern for the world. Due to this, the United States had also announced to deploy its troops in Asia. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the Chinese Communist Party a threat to other countries in Asia, including India, saying, "We will ensure that the People's Liberation Army (the Chinese Army, including their navy) is countered."

 

 

However, at this time China's most attention is on the China Sea, where Beijing has made many claims regarding the border. Currently, he is less focused on the Indian Ocean. But this threat to India is very real. Chinese submarines have paid port calls in Pakistan and Sri Lanka in recent years.

 

 

According to the report, Chinese submarines are believed to be entering the Indian Ocean via the Strait of Malacca during Peace Time. China can still do this to issue messages, but it is of limited utility, where the submarine would like to hide its presence. At the same time, during the war, Chinese submarines may come from the Sunda Strait of Lombok Strait. These pass through the Indonesian chain that separates the Pacific and the Indian Ocean. The advantage of the Malacca Strait adjoining Singapore is that it allows submarines to reach deep waters of the eastern ocean. After that, she can move towards her goal from there.

 

 

Lombok Strait can give priority

According to the report, Sunda Strait is the shortest route but it is quite shallow in the eastern region. In such a situation Lombok Strait can be preferred. Once penetrated the Indian Ocean, the submarines could be re-located there without returning to China. The Chinese Navy has already built a base in Djibouti, Africa.

 

 

Chinese port in Pakistan

Apart from this, there is another Chinese port under construction in Gwadar, Pakistan. Expansion of that port is underway, which may also be included in the Chinese naval base. One advantage of Gwadar is that it is connected to the land of China. At the same time, if China builds a permanent squadron in the Indian Ocean, then its natural bases will be Gwadar and Djibouti. There is also a small island in the Maldives, which China is developing as a resort. Planners believe that it can act as a base or monitoring station in some scenarios.

 

 

India is also ready to counter China

At the same time, India is also ready to counter China. The Indian Navy is also enhancing its capabilities and modifying its operating pattern to counter the threat. There is evidence that India is testing the ability to deploy submarines in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is important to monitor submarine activity in the Malacca Strait.