IPA Newspack
  • Home
  • now
  • politics
  • business
  • markets

IPA /

Happening Now

Happening Now

US dossier warns Indian Navy against major China threat

China may station aircraft carriers, large warships and submarines in its first overseas military base in Djibouti, a move that would have profound security ramifications for the Indian Navy.

Details of the base feature in the US Department of Defence’s annual report on China, which is submitted to the US Congress. The report, released on Sunday, comes less than four months after NDTV published high-resolution satellite images of the base, including a large Chinese Navy landing ship at the dock. This is the backbone of China’s amphibious assault forces.

“In late March 2022, a FUCHI II class (Type 903A) supply ship Luomahu docked at the 450-metre pier for resupply; the first such reported PLA Navy port call to the Djibouti support base, indicating that the pier is now operational,” says the US Department of Defence’s 2022 China Military Power Report.

“The pier likely is able to accommodate the PLA Navy’s aircraft carriers, other large combatants, and submarines,” it adds.

This is not the first time that the United States has raised the possibility of China getting ready to deploy aircraft carriers in the Indian Ocean region. In 2017, Admiral Harry Harris Jr., who was commanding the US Pacific Command, told NDTV, “There is nothing to prevent them from sailing in the Indian Ocean today.”

Since then, China has been busy developing its aircraft carriers and now has three operational ships, each with incrementally greater capability. The Indian Navy presently operates two aircraft carriers, the made-in-Russia INS Vikramaditya and the INS Vikrant which is still several months away from being fully operational.

The Chinese Type-071 landing ship is the backbone of China’s amphibious assault forces, used for logistics missions and transporting vital supplies.

The US report says, “PLA Navy Marines are stationed at the [Djibouti] base with wheeled armoured vehicles and artillery, but are currently largely dependent on nearby commercial ports due to the lack of experience utilizing its recently operational pier on its base.”

Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) forces deployed in the Djibouti base “have interfered with U.S. flights by lasing pilots and flying drones, and the PRC (People’s Republic of China) has sought to restrict Djiboutian sovereign airspace over the base”, it notes.

In other words, the US military believes Chinese forces deployed in the region have used ground-based lasers to temporarily blind or impair the vision of US fliers in the region. These have also targeted US drones.

The base in Djibouti appears to be just the start of a process of Beijing identifying and ultimately acquiring land in countries where it can expand its military presence.

Chinese Marines at Djibouti base are equipped with wheeled armoured vehicles and artillery. China established a standing Naval patrol off the Horn of Africa 14 years ago. While there was initial scepticism about their ability to deploy far away from their home shores, the Chinese Navy was able to demonstrate the ability to keep ships on station for six to nine months. With the base in Djibouti fully operational, China will be able to permanently position warships in the region.

With inputs from NDTV

IPA Special

After Yatra’s Success, Rahul Gandhi’s Main Task Should Be To Energise The Congress

February 7, 2023
IPA Special

Hate Crimes Have No Place In Any Country, Secular Or Religious

February 7, 2023
IPA Special

India Needs Fundamental Changes In Agricultural Policies

February 7, 2023
IPA Special

Non-Implementation Of Pending Government Assurances In Parliament Is Now Normal

February 7, 2023
IPA Special

Strong Kerala Economic Recovery Despite Odds

February 7, 2023
IPA Special

Starting As An Ambitious Army Officer, Pervez Musharraf Died A Lonely Man

February 7, 2023
Politics

Govt approaches Opposition to end parliament logjam

February 7, 2023
Politics

ED questions Rahul’s aide in TMC money laundering case

February 7, 2023
Politics

Tripura heads for triangular contest in assembly polls

February 7, 2023
Politics

BJP protest to seek Kejriwal’s resignation over ED filing

February 7, 2023
Happening Now

Siddaramaiah Hindutva vs Hindu remark sparks row

February 7, 2023
IPA Special

West Unlikely To Stop Fuelling Russia-Ukraine War Soon

February 6, 2023
IPA Special

BJP’s Reverses In Legislative Council Elections In Nagpur Is A Bad Omen For Ruling Alliance

February 6, 2023
IPA Special

Shocks That The Indian Economy Faced Since 2014

February 6, 2023
IPA Special

Nitish Kumar Is A Victim Of Trust Deficit Amongst His Coalition Leaders

February 6, 2023
Happening Now

Parliament adjourned amid Opposition protest on Adani row

February 6, 2023
Politics

Delhi Assembly fails to elect mayor even on third attempt

February 6, 2023
Politics

Another jolt to Bengal BJP as MLA joins Trinamool

February 6, 2023
Politics

Mann govt faces heat over sacrilege case

February 6, 2023
Politics

AAP to contest all seats in MP assembly elections

February 5, 2023

An appeal

The legacy of IPA, founded by Nikhil Chakravartty, the doyen of journalism in India, to keep the flag of independent media flying high, is facing the threat of extinction due to the effect of the Covid pandemic. Only an emergency funding can avert such an eventuality. We appeal to all those who believe in the freedom of expression to contribute to this noble cause.
Click here to learn more

Share

Reply

  • 0
More on IPA

Siddaramaiah Hindutva vs Hindu remark sparks row

February 7, 2023 7:29 am | IPA Webdesk

Former Karnataka chief minister and the Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, Siddaramiah, on Monday triggered controversy with his remark that he is not...

Happening Now

Parliament adjourned amid Opposition protest on Adani row

February 6, 2023 1:53 pm | IPA Webdesk

Both houses of the parliament were adjourned till 2 pm today amid loud protests and sloganeering from opposition parties demanding a discussion on and an...

Happening Now

Video shows Chinese balloon being downed by US missile

February 5, 2023 10:26 am | IPA Webdesk

Boom. And the Chinese spy balloon, of the size of three buses, that had strayed into the US airspace was shot down with a single...

Happening Now

RBI says banking sector stable amid Adani stocks rout

February 4, 2023 11:45 am | IPA Webdesk

The Reserve Bank of India today said the country’s banking system remains resilient and stable, amid concerns about the exposure of lenders to Adani group...

Happening Now

Siddaramaiah Hindutva vs Hindu remark sparks row

in Happening Now
Feb 7, 2023   ·  

Parliament adjourned amid Opposition protest on Adani row

in Happening Now
Feb 6, 2023   ·  

Video shows Chinese balloon being downed by US missile

in Happening Now
Feb 5, 2023   ·  

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Follow us on
Up Next: Voting progresses in 89 Gujarat assembly seats
©2020 -2021 India Press Agency, All Rights Reserved
Newspack by India Press Agency
logo
  • Home
  • now
  • politics
  • business
  • markets