China’s expanding oceanographic presence in the Indian Ocean is becoming an increasingly important maritime-security concern. A 2024 study by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) identified 64 Chinese research and survey vessels operating worldwide between 2020 and 2023, including 13 in the Indian Ocean. The study also found that more than 80 per cent displayed indicators of potentially suspicious behaviour or organisational links that could point to broader strategic objectives. This does not mean that Chinese research missions are inherently military operations. The concern is more subtle: oceanographic data collected for legitimate scientific purposes can also have significant…
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