Even as the Indian and Chinese forces are locked in a standoff for more than three years, the Indian Navy as a first responder continues its help in the search and rescue (SAR) mission of a sunken Chinese fishing vessel in the Southern Indian Ocean region (IOR).
The Indian Navy at the request of the Chinese PLA Navy deployed its reconnaissance aircraft P8I Poseidon to help in SAR operation when a Chinese Fishing Vessel Lu Peng Yuan Yu 028 with 39 crew onboard sank and the crew onboard went missing almost 900 nm from India, and south of Maldives.
According to the official spokesperson of the Indian Navy Commander Vivek Madhwal, there were nationals from China, the Philippines, and Indonesia on board the Lu Peng Yuan Yu.
Despite adverse weather, during the multiple and extensive searches which were carried out by the P8I aircraft multiple objects have been located, possibly belonging to the sunken vessel.
The vessel according to the reports was around 267 nm from the strategically important Diego Gracia base of the US and the UK armed forces in Southern IOR.
Why did India send help?
As a responsible and credible partner has been ensuring safety at sea. And has coordinated SAR efforts with other units in the region and have guided the warships of the PLA Navy to the site of the accident.
Update – Day 2
Indian Navy will extend all possible help in the ongoing SAR efforts in locating the capsized fishing vessel.
Since May 18, Indian Navy continues with the SAR efforts, and its P8I aircraft undertook extensive search in the area and has located the capsized fishing vessel.
And, for further assistance, the Indian Navy has relayed to PLA (Navy) warships the location of the boat.
According to the official spokesperson of the Indian Navy the P-8i has also sighted the fishing vessel’s life raft. This aircraft then guided fishing vessel Lu Peng Yuan Yu 017 towards it.
First time since Galwan Valley Clash
Yes, it is for the first time since Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh back in 2020 that the navies of both countries have cooperated on the high seas.
Have the two countries cooperated earlier?
Yes. When the ties between the two were not `abnormal’ in 2017 the navies of India and China had carried out anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Eden.
About Indian Navy’s P8i
The Indian Navy is keeping a close watch on the growing presence of the Chinese PLA (navy) in the IOR and is ready to counter its influence. According to reports in the public domain at any given time there are 3-4 Chinese vessels in the IOR and the Indian Navy keeps them under surveillance as soon as they enter the Indian’s maritime domain.
India’s P8I which have been procured through the Foreign Military Sales route from the US based Boeing Company and (nicknamed ‘Hunters’) have been deployed by the navy to keep a track of the Chinese movement.
Earlier this week this aircraft completed a decade in the Indian Navy and completed almost 40,000 hours of operational flying.
The Indian Navy says that there are P8Is which are deployed in INAS 312 Squadron which is popularly known as `Albatross’ at INS Rajali naval air base. This base is located at Arakkonam in Tamil Nadu.
In 2013 the first P81 had landed at INS Rajali with Capt H S Jhajj as the first Commanding Officer and since then INAS 312 squadron has been at the forefront of all Naval Operations.
In the last one decade this aircraft has spearheaded operations in three dimensions – sea, air, land and has been the first responder in IOR.
