No increase in Chinese activity near Indian waters: Navy Chief

There has been no increase in Chinese naval activity near Indian waters even after the deployment of advanced N-submarines at the Hainan base in the South China Sea,Navy Chief Nirmal Verma has said.

There has been no increase in Chinese naval activity near Indian waters even after the deployment of advanced nuclear submarines at the Hainan base in the South China Sea,which is the nearest Chinese naval base to India,Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma has said.

Answering queries at a press conference in the run-up to Navy Day,Admiral Verma said while China launched an anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden,there have not been other major deployments as far as our area is concerned.

The Admirals assurance comes even as reports continue to point at a major modernisation and expansion drive in the Chinese Navy with the induction of new submarines and even a new aircraft carrier that is currently under construction.

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However,the Navy Chief said that the Chinese have an interest in the region because a bulk of their trade flows through the Indian Ocean. The bulk of the energy requirements as far as China is concerned flows through the Indian Ocean region. It is a very substantial amount, Admiral Verma said.

The Navy Chief,who was interacting with the media for the first time since taking over earlier this year,said India was building up its naval capabilities and conducting exercises on the basis of its maritime interests and the force was not targeted at any particular country.

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