China’s warships conduct training in Indian Ocean: State media

China’s warships have carried out a high-seas training in the Indian Ocean, state media reported on Tuesday.

China’s warships have carried out a high-seas training in the Indian Ocean, state media reported on Tuesday.

This image was posted by Chinese official state media Xinhua on Twitter, captioned ‘Chinese navy flotilla carries out high-seas training in east Indian Ocean.(Twitter/ @XHNews)

The official news agency did not provide any details of the exercise held in the Indian Ocean, considered India’s backyard, where the People’s Liberation Army Navy has been increasingly active.

Chinese navy’s increasing presence in the Indian Ocean comes following the release of a White Paper published by the PLA in 2015 outlining a new military strategy enhancing its navy’s duties for the first time to “open seas protection” far from its shores.

The presence of Chinese submarines at Colombo port and most recently in Karachi have sparked concerns in India.

Read | India keeps a close eye on Chinese ships in Indian Ocean: Navy chief