Open-source intelligence researcher Damien Symon wrote on social network X that the Chinese research ship Xiangyanghong 3 was entering the Indian Ocean Region, showing its destination as the Maldives capital Male, according to Reuters.
An Indian military official confirmed Symon's findings and said they were monitoring the movements of the Huong Duong Hong 3.
The Maldives president's office, as well as the Indian foreign ministry and China's defense ministry , did not respond to requests for comment on the report, according to Reuters.
China's research vessel Xiangyanghong 3
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The arrival of the Xiangyanghong 3 in the Maldives may raise concerns in New Delhi. It is not a military vessel, but India and some other countries are concerned about the use of such research for military purposes, according to Reuters.
Relations between New Delhi and Male have deteriorated since President Muizzu took office in November 2023. Both New Delhi and Beijing vie for influence over the tiny Indian Ocean nation, but the new government in Male is leaning toward China and has asked India to withdraw nearly 80 troops stationed in the Maldives.
New Delhi has previously warned against similar visits by Chinese research vessels to its other coastal neighbor, Sri Lanka, which has denied such vessels permission to dock at its ports since 2022.
Earlier in 2019, India expelled a Chinese research vessel from its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) after it entered the area without permission.
A senior Indian security official said Chinese research vessels have “dual use,” meaning the information they collect can be used for both civilian and military purposes, including the deployment of submarines, Reuters reported.
This month, Chinese media suggested that the country's maritime research activities in the Indian Ocean region should not be called a threat, after a US think tank said the Chinese navy could "leverage the insights gained from these missions" to deploy naval forces.
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