China building maritime battlefield around India: Navy chief

New Delhi, Dec 2 (UNI) Naval Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta today said China was creating, with the help of its neighbours, a maritime area around India that could prove to be inimical to the country's interest in the future.

Addressing an annual press conference on the Naval Day, Adm Mehta said India was surrounded by countries which were inclined towards China, such as Myanmar, and they were building up a maritime area.

''At present, these countries are not against India, but after 20 years they could turn against us, who knows,'' he said.

The Naval Chief said China had been strengthening ties with Myanmar over a long period of time. Its naval interests were linked to Sri Lanka. It already had good relations with Pakistan, and was trying to build up close ties with countries on the African coast.

Expressing strong opposition to the inclusion of Chinese companies in the maritime infrastructure projects, he said these companies might misuse sensitive information such as hydraulic data.

''Some sensitive hydraulic information can go out which should not,'' he said, adding: ''The Chinese companies should not be allowed to operate from our shores.'' He said there was hardly any country that was not buying Chinese products.

''At a time when majority of these products are being transported through the Indian Ocean, a maritime area favourbale to China could further its economic interest.'' On the reported sale of Pakistani submarines to Bangladesh and its effect on the situation on the Bay of Bengal, he said India should deploy anti submarine missiles at atrategic positions.

UNI YJ VA VV1626