Explainer | Why is India unnerved about the visit of a Chinese research ship in its backyard?

Amid a spat with New Delhi, the Maldives is set to host China’s Xiang Yang Hong 3 early next month

India claims vessel is another ‘spy ship’ dispatched by Beijing to gather sensitive data from the region

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The Chinese research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 3 is due to dock in the Maldives on February 5. The visit comes as India and China jostle for influence in the region. Photo: Weibo

Published: 7:00pm, 26 Jan 2024Updated: 7:16pm, 26 Jan 2024

A Chinese research vessel has been given permission to make a port call in the Maldives. The stop, which authorities said was for resupplying purposes, is likely to heighten tensions in the region, particularly with India.

What is the port call for?

The Maldives government announced on Tuesday that the Xiang Yang Hong 3, which had earlier been turned down by Sri Lanka, was given permission for the port call. It is expected to dock at Male Sea Port on February 5.

The permission was limited to “rotation of personnel and replenishment” purposes only, and the vessel is not allowed to carry out any research in Maldivian waters, according to the island nation’s foreign ministry.

India’s navy will monitor the ship’s entire journey in the region “to ensure that it does not carry out any exploration activity in the Maldivian exclusive economic zone”, the Hindustan Times reported.

India has labelled the Xiang Yang Hong 3 a “Chinese spy ship” and expressed its concerns over its “surveillance activity” to Sri Lanka and the Maldives last year.

What is the Xiang Yang Hong 3 and what does it do?

Commissioned in 2016, the Xiang Yang Hong 3 is operated by China’s Ministry of National Resources. With an operational range of 15,000 nautical miles (27,780km), the Xiang Yang Hong 3 can remain at sea for up to 60 days.