Asian Angle | China and India’s maritime rivalry has a new flashpoint: the Andaman Sea
- The revelation that the Indian Navy had forced a Chinese research vessel out of Indian waters is the latest sign of Beijing’s interest in the waterway
- China is looking to deny India the strategic and military use of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, through means such as expanding its submarine fleet
In the case of a Sino-Indian maritime conflict, the islands would also constitute India’s first line of defence. A swift naval victory around the Andaman basin would result in significant degradation of the Chinese maritime threat in the rest of the Indian Ocean.
However, the PLAN is leaving no stone unturned in challenging India’s predominance in the Andaman Sea. Since at least 2012, the Chinese navy has conducted regular submarine patrols there. According to Indian Navy sources, an average of three to four Chinese submarine contacts have been identified every three months. The PLAN has been known to use its vast submarine fleet to conduct reconnaissance and surveillance missions in these waters. The Chinese navy’s interest in the Andaman Sea is a by-product of Beijing’s Strait of Malacca dilemma. China’s economy relies heavily on sea lanes of communication passing through the waterway; it therefore fears a situation where hostile powers could interdict these vital economic lifelines. Moreover, the geostrategic importance of these waters has increased dramatically under China’s Belt and Road Initiative.