Indian Navy trolls China at sea!

"Warm welcome" said a tweet by the Indian Navy while greeting (read trolling) China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), which had entered the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Demonstrating its vast presence in the Indian Ocean Region, the Indian Navy even posted photographs of the Anti-Piracy Escort Force (APEF) of the PLAN.

The Navy had operationalised its 'mission based deployment' plan 10 months ago. This is in response to the increased Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean. About 15 warships of the Indian Navy are patrolling seven areas of the waters around India and beyond the country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This helps the Indian Navy keep an eye on all the entry and exit routes in the Indian Ocean.

The Navy also wished the Chinese vessels "happy hunting" by trolling the China Navy's on and off presence in the Indian Ocean. Indian Navy also attached the hashtag #MaritimeDomainAwareness to highlight its increased capabilities and ability to monitor the Indian Ocean.

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 Wednesday.

The Indian Navy has a wider presence in its 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.

"#MissionBasedDeployments From Persian Gulf to Malacca Straits & 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 Everytime @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.

As part of its biggest combat exercise in three decades, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is carrying out massive drills involving its frontline fighter jets to test its capability to dominate the entire extended area of the Indian Ocean Region.

IAF's Sukhoi and Jaguar fighter aircraft, capable of carrying the potent Brahmos and Harpoon anti ship missiles, showcased their strategic reach and capability to carry out any sort of operations over the area as part of the pan-India exercise "GaganShakti".

The IAF said it is effectively exercising its maritime war fighting concepts on both the western and eastern seaboards, adding the drill is also aimed at containing any "misadventure" by any adversary in India's area of interest in the Indian Ocean Region.

The Chinese Navy has been trying to expand its influence in critical sea lanes around India.

"Air Dominance over the entire extended area of the Indian Ocean Region in support of the Indian Navy is being demonstrated by employment of combat enablers like the FRA (Flight Refueling Aircraft) in conjunction with our maritime fighter forces of the Su-30 and Jaguar class jets carrying potent long distance anti shipping weaponry," the IAF said.

(With inputs from PTI)