Indian Navy on vigil 24X7 to guard the vital sea lanes in Indian Ocean Region

Around 50 Indian Navy vessels are currently deployed in sea lanes, including in areas of India's maritime interest and in anti-piracy operations, the Navy said on Tuesday April 17, 2018.

The Indian Navy has wider presence in the backyard, the Indian Ocean region, which is also witnessing an increasing presence of the Chinese navy.

It also has mission based deployments from the Persian Gulf to the Malacca Straits and from northern Bay of Bengal to the east coast of Africa and southern Indian Ocean.

Mission Based Deployments from Persian Gulf to Malacca Straits and from Northern Bay of Bengal to Southern Indian Ocean to East coast of Africa @indiannavy with 50 ships on vigil 24X7 keep our Area of Responsibility (AOR) safe. @indiannavy Anytime, Anywhere Every time @nsitharaman," the Indian Navy spokesperson tweeted.

These are also the areas that have some of the vital Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOCs), which are of strategic interest to India.

 China, too, has deployed its ships in the Indian Ocean to carry out anti-piracy operations. It has a naval base in Djibouti and is building the Gwadar port in Pakistan, strategically situated at the mouth of the Persian Gulf. It has also acquired the strategic Hambantata port while the country’s enterprises have substantial stakes in Colombo port. 

The docking of a Chinese Nuclear submarine in Hambantata  a few years ago  sparked off a major controversy with India taking a strong exception to the move by the island’s former President Mahinda Rajapakshe.