Navy monitoring Chinese activity in Indian Ocean: Navy Chief

New Delhi, Sep 25: Against the backdrop of incursions in

,

today said it was continuously monitoring the activity of the

Navy in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

"Chinese warships are deployed in the Indian Ocean Region and we are continuously monitoring them and see what is their deployment. Along with it, our aircraft, submarines and warships are always deployed to face any challenge. ...IOR is our area of operations and we see what is Chinese deployment in IOR and how it can create challenges for us and how we can face them....We are always ready," Navy Chief Admiral Robin Dhowan told reporters here.

He was asked to comment on the situation in Chumar in Ladakh where Chinese troops intruded more than two weeks back and are engaged in stand-off with Indian soldiers on the sidelines of the golden jubilee of the Navy Warship Design Bureau.

The Navy Chief said only the Army was competent to comment on the particular incident in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir. He said it was the Navy's responsibility to look after Indian maritime interests in IOR.

"We are always ready to face them. Our economic interests are there in the maritime region and their protection is also our responsibility."

In the recent times, the Chinese Navy has been deploying its warships and submarines in IOR. Asked about the proposed maritime dialogue between India and China this year, he said the two sides have been cooperating in terms of port visits and anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.

PTI