China eyeing base in Bay of Bengal?-India-The Times of India

China eyeing base in Bay of Bengal?-India-The Times of India

NEW DELHI: Is China marking space for itself in Myanmar's Coco Islands again? India is suddenly up and alert after senior Chinese naval officers recently visited the islands to “upgrade” facilities there.

On June 25, according to reports reaching India, in an unpublicised visit, a Chinese naval delegation led by Col Chi Ziong Feng, accompanied a Myanmarese delegation headed by Brig Gen Win Shein, into the Coco Islands.

According to sources, Brig Gen Shein is commander of Ayeyarwaddy (Irrawaddy) naval headquarters, which controls the island.



According to sources monitoring developments, China decided to help Myanmar upgrade systems in the island.

Myanmar would increase its naval troop strength on the island, while China would help in building two more helipads and storage systems for arms. What was of greater interest to India was that China reportedly agreed to "upgrade" communication facilities on the island.

Interestingly, this was also around the time that Indian minister of state for power Jairam Ramesh was in Myanmar adding to India's development presence there by signing four economic cooperation agreements with the Myanmar government.

The Coco Islands have always been part myth, part Indian and Chinese jostling in the Indian Ocean. But there have never been a stop to reports of China building a listening post in the Great Coco Island, which is close enough to the Andamans and the Straits of Malacca to be of concern to India.

In fact, after much persuasion, India managed to get the Myanmarese to take some officials to Coco Islands in 2006 to see the island for themselves as well as a couple of other islands of concern to India like Hangyii and Kyakpu. Indian representatives were allowed to tour the island. They did not find much.

Even the radar was rudimentary, bought off some ship and not working. The Indian government came to the conclusion that the Myanmarese are either too clever by half or they're not showing everything to India or they had been correct all along. Whatever it was, India stopped its public cribbing about Coco.

The issue was, however, never buried. After the recent visit, India's assessment says the possibility of more helipads on Coco Islands might indicate a Chinese interest in air surveillance of Indian aircraft, ships or facilities.

It took a visit like this to get the Indians to sit up. As of now, Indian officials say they are "concerned, but not alarmed".

After all, despite India ramping up its own presence in Myanmar, China remains its biggest friend, philosopher and guide. For the moment, India remains in a "watch and wait" mode, particularly since its own relations with China are very complex at the present moment.

But it wants to watch out for activity, particularly on the construction of helipads and building more communication posts that will signal danger. India's Far East Command, which operates out of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, is well situated to inderdict vessels passing through Malacca Straits.