PTI

New Delhi, August 16

India is anxious over the go to of a Chinese satellite tv for pc monitoring ship to Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port because it indicators an try by China to broaden its maritime affect within the area, sources in defence and safety institution mentioned on Tuesday.

The ship, Yuan Wang 5, arrived on the strategically positioned port on Tuesday morning for a replenishment keep for every week, Sri Lankan officers mentioned in Colombo.

However, sources within the Indian defence and safety institution mentioned the purpose of the ship’s go to can’t be solely replenishment and that it may very well be used to eavesdrop on Indian installations.

They mentioned India has been conveying to Sri Lanka its opposition to such forays prior to now as effectively and that India’s considerations weren’t restricted to only one go to.

The ship was initially scheduled to reach on the Hambantota port on August 11 but it surely was delayed in absence of permission by the Sri Lankan authorities.

Sri Lanka had requested China to defer the go to amid India’s considerations over it. On Saturday, Colombo granted the port entry to the vessel from August 16 to 22.

There had been apprehensions in New Delhi about the opportunity of the vessel’s monitoring techniques trying to eavesdrop on Indian installations whereas on its technique to the Sri Lankan port.

“We are closely watching the visit by the ship,” mentioned a supply.

A day earlier than the ship docked in Hambantota port, India handed over to Sri Lanka a Dornier maritime surveillance plane.

The plane would act as a power multiplier, enabling Sri Lanka to sort out challenges corresponding to human and drug trafficking, smuggling and different organised types of crime in its coastal waters extra successfully, the Ministry of External Affairs mentioned.

“Induction of the aircraft is timely in view of the current challenges to Sri Lanka’s maritime security,” it mentioned.