India increases surveillance in Indian Ocean region to track Chinese activities
                     India increases surveillance in Indian Ocean region to
track Chinese activities
The Navy has increased its surveillance missions and beefed up operational deployment in
the Indian Ocean region in the wake of India's seven-week bitter border standoff with China
in eastern Ladakh, people familiar with the development said.
The Indian Navy is also ramping up its operational cooperation with various friendly naval
forces like the US Navy and Japan Maritime Self Defense Force in view of the fast evolving
regional security landscape, they said.
On Saturday, the Indian Navy held a crucial exercise with Japanese Navy in the Indian
Ocean region, an area where Chinese naval vessels and submarines are making frequent
forays, they said.
Indian Navy ships INS Rana and INS Kulish were part of the exercise while Japan Maritime
Self Defense Forces deployed its two ships, JS Kashima and JS Shimayuki, for the exercise.
The exercise assumed significance as it took place amid India's border standoff with China
in eastern Ladakh and Chinese Navy's aggressive posturing in South China Sea as well as in
the Indo-Pacific region.
"The aim of the exercise was to enhance interoperability between the two navies,” said a
source.
Navies from the US, India, Australia, Japan and France have been deepening their mutual
cooperation  in  the  Indo-Pacific  region  in  view  of  China's  growing  attempts  to  expand
military influence in the resource-rich region.
Following an escalation in tension between India and China in eastern Ladakh after the
killing of 20 Indian Army soldiers on June 15, the government put all the three forces on
alert.
The  Indian  Navy  was  asked to  raise  its  alert  level  in  the  Indian  Ocean Region  where
Chinese Navy has been making regular forays.
The  people  cited  above  said  Indian  Navy  has  increased  its  surveillance  missions  and
enhanced operational deployment in the Indian Ocean region in the last couple of weeks.
"We are increasing surveillance to track Chinese activities in Indian Ocean region," said a
military expert.
The Galwan Valley incident on June 15 was the biggest  confrontation between the two
militaries after their 1967 clashes in Nathu La when India lost around 80 soldiers while the
death toll on the Chinese side was over 300.
India and Japan are part  of the influential  "Quad" or Quadrilateral  coalition which also
comprises the United States and Australia.
In November 2017, the four countries gave shape to the long-pending "Quad" coalition to
develop  a  new strategy  to  keep  the  critical  sea  routes  in  the  Indo-Pacific  free  of  any
influence.
The US has been pushing for a greater role for India in the Indo-Pacific which is seen by
many countries as an effort to contain China's growing clout in the region.a