Indian Navy forces China's PLA ship to return from Andaman Sea

Naval officials informed a news agency on December 3 that the Indian Navy recently forced a Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) ship to return after it entered India’s exclusive economic zone in the Andaman Sea. The ship was reportedly detected by maritime surveillance aircraft operating in the area. Ship's crew claimed of carrying out research activities in the Indian water when they were stopped and interrogated. The sources contend that the Chinese could have used Shi Yan 1 to spy on activities in the Andaman Island territory. This is a region from which India can observe the maritime movements in the Indian Ocean region.

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Anyone operating in “our region, will have to notify the Indian Navy,” said Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh.

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Navy plans to have aircraft carriers

The Chinese ship was returned on similar grounds saying that it had not sought permission to come to the area. Besides this, Admiral Singh said the Navy’s long-term plan is to have three aircraft carriers and added that the first indigenous aircraft carrier will be fully operational by 2022 while speaking at an annual Press Conference on Tuesday. The Admiral also assured that the Navy is fully prepared to deal with national security challenges. The fully operational flight wing of the Navy will have MiG-29K aircraft, he informed.

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(With inputs from PTI)