India's Naval Exercise In South China Sea Sends China Into A Frenzy; PLA Sends Vessels To Spy, Intimidate

China has reportedly sent multiple militia vessels towards the South China Sea (SCS) where a joint naval exercise between Indian and ASEAN naval ships is taking place.

This is the inaugural edition of the joint exercise — ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME) 2023 — which was scheduled to start from 2 May and continue till 8 May.

The exercise is being hosted by the Singapore Navy in which the six warships and nine aircrafts from the navies of India, Vietnam, Brunei, Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand are taking part.

According to Ray Powell, project lead at Gordian Knot Center project Myoushu (South China Sea), "the first batch of five Chinese militia vessels changed course and steamed toward the group of AIME vessels at around 7pm on Sunday evening".

They're not moving very fast, and it remains to be seen if both formations will stay on course,” Powell said. He added that "a separate group of three Chinese vessels has also left the area of Zamora Reef (Subi Reef) and is headed toward the joint exercise area".

According to experts, these Chinese militia vessels are known to be equipped with advanced surveillance equipment and are suspected of engaging in espionage activities in the region.

As such, their deployment near the AIME exercise area is seen as a deliberate attempt by China to intimidate India and the ASEAN nations and gather intelligence on their military capabilities.

This incident highlights the ongoing tensions in the South China Sea, where China's territorial claims and aggressive behavior have raised concerns among its neighbors and drawn criticism from the international community.

China claims the entire SCS and areas within the nine-dash line as its own territory, even though the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled against these claims in 2016. As a result, China has ongoing maritime disputes with all countries in the SCS, including Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

A total of eight militia vessels are reported to be headed towards the AIME exercise area.

Evidently, these maritime exercises in an area which China considers its own backyard have ruffled some feathers.

This is coming in the backdrop of the meeting of Indian and Chinese Foreign and Defence ministers on the sidelines of SCO Defence and Foreign minister meetings in India to resolve almost a four-year-long standoff between Indian and Chinese Army along the entire Line-of Actual Control (LAC).

The Indian and Chinese armies have been in a standoff since May 2020 following the deadly Galwan Valley clash, resulting in the death of 20 Indian soldiers and reportedly more than 40-45 Chinese soldiers.

Just days before the defense ministers meeting, India and China also conducted their 18th round of corps commanders talks.

None of the meetings were able to break the deadlock, although both sides have agreed to keep talking with each other.