Key Points
A Chinese research vessel is on its way to the Maldives, according to an Indian military official and an independent researcher, as Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu deepens ties with Beijing, distancing from New Delhi..
It is likely to raise concern in New Delhi, which has previously viewed the presence of such vessels close to its shores, including in Sri Lanka in 2022, as problematic...
The Chinese vessel is en-route to Male, open source intelligence researcher Damien Symon wrote on X, saying Xiang Yang Hong 03 is entering the Indian Ocean Region, displaying its destination as Male, the vessel is expected to run an ocean survey operation in the Indian Ocean Region."..
New Delhi has in the past flagged similar visits by other Chinese research vessels with its other littoral neighbour Sri Lanka, which has denied permission for such vessels to dock on its ports since 2022...
Earlier this month, state-affiliated Chinese media warned against calling its maritime research in the Indian Ocean Region a threat, after an American think tank said China's navy could leverage the insights gained from these missions for deployment of naval forces..
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