China takes credit for rescuing hijacked ship, ignores Indian Navy’s role

China blanked out the Indian Navy’s role in rescuing a ship belonging to the island nation of Tuvalu in the Gulf of Aden.

China on Monday claimed full credit for rescuing a cargo ship hijacked by Somali pirates in the strategic Gulf of Aden, ignoring Indian Navy's role in the operation.

Chinese Navy statement:

A Chinese navy statement omitted any reference to the Indian Navy in providing helicopter cover to the Chinese ship whose special forces boarded the Tuvaluan ship under hijack. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said the operation demonstrated "effectiveness of the Chinese naval force in the field of fighting against pirates".

Omission of Indian Navy's role:

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying did not mention the assistance the Indian Navy provided to the Chinese navy in the operation. Her comments came a day after the People's Liberation Army Navy said in a statement that it rescued the ship.

Chetak Helicopter anti piracy ops:

Indian Navy Chetak Helicopter on top of PLA Navy boats carrying boarding party to MV OS35 in coordinated anti piracy ops.

Chinese earlier thank you message to Indian Navy

The Indian Navy said it sent its frontline warships, INS Mumbai and INS Tarkash, to coordinate with the Chinese navy. The two Indian ships were in the region as part of an overseas deployment. At the end of the operation, the Chinese navy thanked the Indian Navy for its role in the operation.

Indian, Chinese navies rescue ship

Navies of India and China rescued a merchant ship in the Gulf of Aden after it was hijacked by Somali pirates, in a well-coordinated operation which came in the midst of strain in ties between the two countries over a range of sticky issues.

China’s bluster on Tawang and the Dalai Lama

The reported coordination among the navies came amid a strain in ties between the two countries over a range of issues including the Dalai Lama's visit to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, China's opposition to India's NSG membership and Beijing blocking India's effort to declare JeM chief Masood Azhar as global terrorist by the UN.

All photos taken from Twitter@indiannavy