PLA Navy has extended its range to Arabian Sea : Report
Staff Reporter 2013-04-10 08:49
A Chinese Type 094 nuclear submarine.
The PLA Navy has already projected its power as far as the Arabian Sea, writes J Michael Cole in the Diplomat, a Tokyo-based online current affairs magazine, in a piece entitled "Red Star over the Indian Ocean."
An intelligence report titled "Indian Navy: Perceived Threats to Subsurface Deterrent Capability and Preparedness" published by India's Integrated Defense Staff has stated that at least 22 contacts with Chinese attack submarines were made in the Indian Ocean region last year, suggesting that India's national interests are under grave threat from China's growing naval power. A report in the national Hindustan Times also noted that Chinese nuclear submarines from the South Sea Fleet have been making frequent forays into the Indian Ocean.
The focus of Chinese submarine deployments has been the waters off the Horn of Africa stretching to the Malacca Strait and the western shores of Australia. Among the 22 contacts with the Indian navy, one took place 90 kilometers from Indian soil in the Andaman and Nicobar islands. Six contacts occurred near the Strait of Malacca, and 13 others took place in the south of Sri Lanka. The last two contacts took place the Arabian Sea, suggesting Chinese submarines have already expanded their area of operations to the coast of Africa.
The report believes the Chinese submarines to have been from the South Sea Fleet stationed at Sanya in China's southern island province of Hainan. In May last year, the PLA Navy announced the deployment of Type 094 nuclear submarines to Yulin Naval Base at Sanya as part of its long-term strategy in the disputed South China Sea.
With China acquiring the administration of the port of Gwadar in Pakistan, India believes this new naval facility will become a part of China's so-called string of pearls strategy in the region. Under this strategy, a maritime line of communication extending from the Chinese mainland to Port Sudan through several major choke points such as the Strait of Mandeb, the Strait of Malacca, the Strait of Hormuz and the Lombok Strait will be under the control of Beijing.
The report said the entry of Chinese submarines and other warships into Gwadar will give the PLA Navy enormous command and control capability for prospective presence in the region.
