India's Latest Maritime Headache: Cambodia's New China-Built Port

China's growing maritime power is a cause for concern for regional security. Beijing's claims to territory in the South China Sea, its construction of artificial islands in the region, and its establishment of a military base in Djibouti are all evidence of its desire to increase its sphere of influence.

Last year, satellite images sourced by NDTV revealed that China's naval base in Djibouti was fully operational. The base, which is located in the Horn of Africa, is capable of supporting Chinese warships deployed in the Indian Ocean region. This was a significant development, as it marked the first time that China established a fully operational overseas military base.

The base in Cambodia is located not far from the Strait of Malacca. The Strait of Malacca is a vital checkpoint that connects the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. It is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, with an estimated 25% of global trade passing through it each year.

Satellite images sourced by NDTV show several new buildings, a large pier, and fencing around the base's perimeter.

A report from the UK-based think tank Chatham House published last week referred to the base as, "a dramatic transformation of the Cambodian naval base, near Sihanoukville on the Gulf of Thailand, is undergoing."

"This Chinese-funded project would extend Beijing's military reach into the contested waters of Southeast Asia," the report added.

The Chinese Threat

With more than 350 warships, the Chinese navy is the world's largest. In the next three years, that number is expected to go up to 460. In addition to that, there are at least 85 patrol vessels, several armed with anti-ship cruise missiles.

India competes with this maritime challenge with its geography and the strategically placed Andaman and Nicobar Islands. India is well-positioned to monitor the waters of the Indian Ocean not just through warships but also through maritime reconnaissance aircraft.

Last year, a Chinese surveillance ship docked at Sri Lanka's Hambantota port despite India's objections. The Yuan Wang 5 is equipped with sensors and is believed to have the ability to track the trajectory of India's ballistic missiles once they are launched for user or development trials from Abdul Kalam Island, which is located off the coast of Odisha.

The Yuang Wang 5 went away but a sister ship, the Yuan Wang 6 is currently sailing the south Indian Ocean.

"Cambodia used to be a neutral country and had decided not to get too close to China but it seems like economic or financial compulsions have forced them into the Chinese lap," former Navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash told NDTV.

"The Chinese are helping them build this port so that the PLA can use it when needed. I think there is no great cause for alarm but there is certainly cause for reflection on our part because for far too long we have been focusing on micro issues in eastern Ladakh and the LAC but the 'big game' is going to be played out at sea in the maritime sphere.

"Going as far back as 2019, China had said that it would increase its overseas presence. Being one of the biggest manufacturers in the world, most of its trade and manufacture depends on the sea."

To combat the growing Chinese maritime threat, India has also formed close ties with some of the most powerful navies in the world, including the US, UK, France and Japan, among others.

India also routinely takes part in naval exercises such as the Malabar Exercise, which takes place among the navies of India, Japan, the US, and Australia, amid rising global concerns over China's increasing military muscle-flexing in the South China Sea and East China Sea regions.

Forging Alliances

Across the waters in the western Indian Ocean, India is reported to be building military infrastructure on Mauritius' Agalega Island to increase its presence in the region.

Satellite images accessed by NDTV show a large airstrip and port facilities, leading many to believe that the island can prove to be a major Indian naval base in the future, which could support the Indian Navy's long-range P-8 maritime surveillance aircraft.

Forging strategic alliances with neighbours in the Indian Ocean is imperative for New Delhi when China is doing exactly that right on India's doorstep.

In July, India gifted its in-service missile corvette INS Kirpan to Vietnam amid common concerns over China's increasingly aggressive behavior in the South China Sea.

"The transfer of INS Kirpan from the Indian Navy to the Vietnam People's Navy symbolises the status of Indian Navy of being the 'Preferred Security partner' in the Indian Ocean Region and would definitely be a catalyst for enhancing the existing bilateral relations between the two navies," the government said.

In 2020, India delivered the INS Sindhuvir to the Myanmar Navy, in a move in accordance with India's vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and its commitment to building capacities and self-reliance in neighboring countries.

In 2022, India signed a $375 million deal to supply three batteries of supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines. The missiles, which have a range of 400 kilometers, and a speed of Mach 2.8, can penetrate the defences of most ship-borne defences and strike their targets with great precision.

These dealings pose a direct challenge to the Chinese threat in the South China Sea. What remains clear, however, is that the Himalayan neighbours remain locked in competition for maritime dominance in the Indian Ocean to gain control of a key route that connects the Far East with Europe.