India 'monitoring' China’s naval activity, says admiral Dhowan

Navy chief admiral Robin Dhowan on Thursday said India was “minutely monitoring” the activities of the Chinese navy, two days after Beijing released a white paper on its defence setting out a bigger role for its maritime forces far away from its shores.

Navy chief admiral Robin Dhowan on Thursday said India was “minutely monitoring” the activities of the Chinese navy, two days after Beijing released a white paper on its defence setting out a bigger role for its maritime forces far away from its shores.

Robin-Dhowan

Talking to reporters on the concluding day of the naval commanders’ conference, Dhowan said, “The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s activities are minutely monitored by Indian Navy and our belief is that the responsibility of protecting Indian Ocean and our coastline lies with the navy. ”

In its white paper on defence released on Tuesday, China revealed plans to expand its maritime reach at a time when Beijing’s aggressive posturing in the South China sea has shifted global attention to the Asia-Pacific region. China seeks to control the resource-rich waters where it is locked in intractable disputes with several countries that claim parts of the sea.

Asked to comment on the white paper, Dhowan said, “There would be aspects related to defensive operations, surveillance and all kinds of operations which spread out during the period of peace and during hostilities. So it is natural for any navy to have its plans which covers the entire spectrum of operations.”