New Delhi: Is India planning something really massive?
All eyes are now on the Bay of Bengal after India declared an enormous no-fly zone measuring 14,000 km from a location just off Visakhapatnam to nearly the southern tip of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
This Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) will be in place for three days between December 6 and December 8. Defence analysts from across the world believe that India is planning the test flight of something monumental in nature.
The no-fly zone cuts through one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors. A space so large has never been cleared by India, at least in the recent past.
According to experts, every signal, from the pattern of military advisories to parallel defence activities, suggests that India may be preparing for a test of unprecedented magnitude. Within defence circles, whispers are growing louder: Could this be a prelude to a new chapter in Indias long-range strike capability, perhaps a step closer to hypersonic dominance?
That the NOTAM is totally over the sea indicates that whatever operation being planned would involve warships and submarines. Visakhapatnam is the headquarters of the Navy’s submarine wing and the Eastern Fleet.
In September this year, India successfully test fired the Agni-Prime, a precision strike missile launched from a special rail-based system. This showcased technology available only to some elite military powers. Many believe that the December tests could involve advanced variants of the Agni series or even a prototype of a hypersonic weapon.
India has also issued NOTAMs for Air Force operations close to the borders with China, Myanmar and Bhutan. These exercises are likely to stretch to mid-December.
India’s adversaries are also maintaining watch. China’s research vessel Shi Yan 6 has already started heading towards Mauritius for a “scientific mission”.
Another spy ship of that country, the Shen Hai Yi Hao, is also operating in Mauritian waters. It is apparently surveying minerals and underwater mountains.
The third vessel is the Lan Hai 201. This platform is in the Arabian Sea for a “fishery survey’s. It’s last location was off Lakshadweep.
Whenever India indicates a missile launch, there is at least one Chinese spy vessel lurking in the waters around.
