Chinese Navy expanding in Indian Ocean with over 400 ships

The growing influence of the Chinese navy across the Indian Ocean and critical maritime routes in Asia has raised significant concerns for US military planners. According to official US figures reviewed by the Wall Street Journal, China currently has over 400 warships and submarines in operation. In terms of numbers, this fleet is approximately 35 per cent larger than that of the United States.

China is currently operating three aircraft carriers and is constructing a fourth. Western experts believe that China's next aircraft carrier may be nuclear-powered. This development is considered one of the largest naval expansions during peacetime in modern history.

According to a report by NDTV, the Chinese navy is no longer limited to its home waters. It is believed that approximately 100 Chinese naval vessels are operational daily across Asia's busiest shipping and transport routes, from the South China Sea to the waters near Japan and Taiwan.

Chinese naval activities are now spread across a vast maritime area. Their ships are operational in the South China Sea, around Taiwan, east of the Philippines, and near the southern coasts of Japan. Additionally, they have advanced into the Western Pacific and are regularly deployed towards the Gulf of Aden.

Security officials monitoring Chinese naval movements state that approximately 6 Chinese naval vessels are present in the waters around Taiwan at any given time. This number increases sharply during military exercises. In the South China Sea, China's presence is nearly three times higher. China has been involved in territorial disputes with both the Philippines and Vietnam in this region.

Beijing's ambitions are not limited to merely possessing more ships. China seeks to gain control over its coastal waters, strengthen its claims over disputed territories, and prevent US forces from intervening in any future conflict. China's maritime dominance is linked to its massive shipbuilding industry. China is the world's largest shipbuilder, producing more than half of the world's commercial ships every year. Its shipyards build everything from giant container ships to natural gas carriers. This same industrial strength is being utilised to build warships at an extremely rapid pace.

Behind this major shift is President Xi Jinping's belief that the country's global standing is closely linked to its maritime control. Shortly after becoming President in 2013, Xi told senior Communist Party leaders that China needs to become a "maritime great power." He also pointed out how Western nations used maritime routes to increase trade, establish colonies, and build global influence.

Xi also mentioned the maritime voyages of the 15th-century Chinese Admiral Zheng He. His fleet travelled from the Strait of Hormuz to the eastern coasts of Africa and returned with goods and giraffes. China later entered a period of isolation, moving away from foreign expansion.

Due to this growing influence of the Chinese navy, it is becoming difficult for Washington to compete at this pace.