Monitoring Chinese activities in Indian Ocean: Navy chief

The Indian Navy is continuously monitoring the activities of the Chinese navy in the Indian Ocean region, Navy chief Admiral Robin Dhowan said Thursday.

India was prepared for any challenge, the navy chief told reporters.

"Chinese warships are deployed in the Indian Ocean region and we are continuously monitoring them and seeing what is their deployment.

"Along with it, our aircraft, submarines and warships are always deployed to face any challenge," Dhowan said on the sidelines of the golden jubilee of the Navy Warship Design Bureau here.

"We see what is the Chinese deployment in the Indian Ocean and how it can create challenges for us and how we can face them... We are always ready," he said.

Refusing to comment on the standoff between India and China in Chumar region of Ladakh, the navy chief said: "We are always ready to face them. Our economic interests are there in the maritime region and their protection is also our responsibility."

The navy chief, however, added that India and China have been cooperating in terms of port visits and anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.

Asked about the final inquiry report about INS Sindhurakshak submarine, which sank in August last year killing 18 personnel, Dhowan said it happened "perhaps because certain standard operating procedures were not followed which could have led to the accident".

The navy has submitted the Board of Inquiry (BoI) report on the accident to the defence ministry and it will be studied before any final decision is taken by the force.