Indian Navy forced PLA ship to return after it entered exclusive economic zone in Andaman Sea

NEW DELHI: The Indian Navy forced China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) research ship to return after it entered India's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the Andaman Sea in September, officials said on Tuesday.


Asked about the incident during a press conference, Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh said anyone operating in "our region, will have to notify the Indian Navy".

The officials said the Chinese Navy's research ship was forced to leave the area as it had not sought permission to come there.

"Our stand is that if you have to work in our exclusive economic zone, then you have to take our permission," he said while reacting to a question by ANI on why Chinese vessel Shi Yan 1 was asked to leave Indian waters.

Earlier, ANI had reported that the Indian Navy recently drove away a suspicious Chinese vessel operating in the Indian waters near Port Blair recently.

The Chinese research vessel Shi Yan 1 was carrying out research activities in the Indian waters near Port Blair in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and was detected by maritime surveillance aircraft operating there, government sources told ANI.

Sources said the vessel could have also been used by the Chinese to spy on the Indian activities in the Island territory from where India can keep a close eye on the maritime movements in the IOR and South-East Asian region.

After the vessel was detected by the agencies and found out that it was carrying out research activities in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone, an Indian Navy warship was sent there to monitor it.

Since laws do not allow foreign countries to carry out any research or exploration activities in the Indian EEZ, the Indian Navy warship asked the Chinese research vessel to move out of Indian waters.

After being cautioned by the Indian Navy, the Chinese Shi Yan 1 vessel left Indian waters and moved to its other destination probably towards China, the sources said.