From Argentina to Indian Ocean: China's Maritime Militia Fuels Global Concerns

Every year around this time, Argentine waters experience a troubling phenomenon-a massive influx of China's distant-water fishing fleet, widely recognised as the world's most egregious offenders of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Between 450 to 500 Chinese vessels typically converge near Argentina's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), employing intense artificial lighting to lure shortfin squid from deep oceanic waters-a lucrative catch critical to local marine ecosystems and Argentina's economy. Yet when authorities approach, these vessels frequently "go dark," deliberately switching off their automatic identification systems (AIS) to evade detection. In early 2023 alone, Argentine authorities identified 344 vessels employing such evasive tactics.

Tensions escalated sharply in recent months when Argentine military patrols uncovered nearly 380 Chinese vessels operating illegally within Argentina's EEZ. Despite repeated warnings and enforcement efforts under Operation Griffon XVII-launched specifically to counter IUU fishing-many Chinese vessels have remained defiant. The situation reached a critical juncture when, in a dramatic enforcement action in 2016, Argentina's Coast Guard sank the Chinese vessel Lu Yan Yuan Yu 10 after it repeatedly ignored commands to exit Argentine waters, highlighting the seriousness of these incursions.

This aggressive maritime conduct by China's fishing fleets is not unique to Argentina. In the Indian Ocean region, China's distant-water fleet-numbering over 17,000 vessels globally-is implicated in nearly 95% of IUU incidents within foreign EEZs. Supported by Beijing's maritime militia, these fleets regularly exploit legal loopholes, use AIS manipulation, and adopt aggressive "gray-zone" tactics, complicating maritime enforcement efforts.

The maritime militia, civilian vessels operating under military command, functions as a covert extension of China's naval power, asserting sovereignty claims, conducting surveillance, and engaging in aggressive maneuvers such as ramming or harassment. Equipped with advanced satellite communication systems and occasionally carrying small arms, these militia vessels blur the line between civilian fishing and military operations, significantly heightening geopolitical tensions.

India, deeply concerned by China's growing maritime assertiveness, has enhanced surveillance and advocated for regional cooperation-including joint patrols with Quad nations and ASEAN members-to counter IUU fishing and maritime militia operations. Reports highlight significant economic and environmental damage inflicted by these fleets, alongside documented human rights abuses in the Southwest Indian Ocean.

As Argentina confronts this annual maritime threat, international scrutiny intensifies on China's hybrid fishing and military strategy. Buenos Aires's resolute actions underline a broader call to the international community: decisive global cooperation is urgently needed to curb China's increasingly assertive maritime ambitions, preventing irreversible environmental, economic, and geopolitical harm.

(Aritra Banerjee is a defence & security columnist)