India downplays Chinese presence in Indian waters
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
New Delhi, May 9, IRNA -- Downplaying Chinese naval exercises with Southeast Asian countries in the Indian Ocean, Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta on Saturday said it did not mean that they are establishing bases.
"Navies are meant to do such things. They have to make friends across various regions. Such exercises do not mean they are establishing bases," Mehta told reporters in Shillong, capital of Meghalaya state in reply to a question, zeenews portal reported.
Asked about the passage of Chinese naval ships through the Indian Ocean to the Gulf of Aden on an anti-piracy mission in the last week of April, Adm Mehta said, "They were on an anti-piracy mission for the first time.
"Navies are meant to operate far from coasts. We too have been in the South China sea for the past two months, and by this month end we are sending our western fleet to operate in the Mediterranean and the North Sea."
Stating that India too has friends in the Indian Ocean like Mauritius, Maldives, Malaysia and Singapore, he said, "But there is a need to build perceptions. People have to have a friendly disposition towards you, so that at the time of requirement you could get help from them."
Referring to the use of boats by terrorists who struck Mumbai, Adm Mehta said, "At times new tactics come into play from the other side. Sometimes they work.
"Every day around 5,000 boats come and go on the Mumbai coast. It is not humanly possible to keep track on each of them. In this instance (Mumbai attack) there was a problem, but after that we have taken enough measures to beef up the apparatus."
Adm Mehta, who is also the chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, is on a two-day visit to the Eastern Air Command here, during which he will review strategic warfare and joint operations in the region.
2160**2322
End News / IRNA / News Code 477715
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
