China Spy Ship Gets Peek of India’s Missile Game-Changer

A Chinese spy ship was noticed in the Indian Ocean as New Delhi tested its strategic Agni-5 ballistic missile.

The move by the Chinese vessel Xian Yang Hong 01 came as India announced a missile test off the Odisha coast, involving the Agni-5 missile equipped with multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle (MIRV) technology.

“The Chinese ship, Xian Yang Hong 01, is now less than 260 nautical miles – about 298 miles – off the coast of Visakhapatnam,” Indian news channel NDTV reported on Monday. “Incidentally, that’s where India bases its three nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, arguably the most sensitive weapons systems in India’s arsenal.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirmed the successful test of the Agni-5 missile via a post on X, formerly Twitter.

The Agni-5 missile test was carried out from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island. It can target almost the entire Chinese mainland and is the primary focus of the Indian ICBM program.

China maintains that its Xiang Yang Hong series of research vessels are meant for ocean mapping and related exploratory activities. However, experts believe the vessels help the People’s Liberation Army by carrying out dual-use maritime research and aiding submarine warfare capabilities, potentially including ocean-floor mapping.

“China’s scientific research activities in relevant waters are for peaceful purposes and aimed at contributing to humanity’s scientific understanding of the ocean. The activities are in strict compliance with the terms of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on February 6.

With the largest fleet of civilian research vessels globally, China’s maritime activities have consistently drawn scrutiny from regional and Western observers, concerned about potential intelligence gathering and geopolitical maneuvering.

Newsweek contacted the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C., for comment.

The location of the Xiang Yang Hong 01 at this time fueled speculation about China’s intent, especially considering the vessel’s affiliation.

To facilitate the missile test, India issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) last week, effectively designating a vast area of the Bay of Bengal as a no-fly zone, extending up to 2,174 miles southward, NDTV reported. This notification was perceived as a clear indicator of the scheduled missile test, slated to occur between March 11 and 16, underscoring the strategic importance of the test for India’s defense capabilities, NDTV reported.

The vessel was noticed entering the Indian Ocean on March 10, Damien Symon, an open-source analyst, said on X, formerly Twitter.

The Xiang Yang Hong vessel is still present in the Indian Ocean, which indicates it may remain in the area to monitor any missile launch.

“There were reports the missile India was planning was the K-4, a nuclear-capable missile designed to be launched by submarines. The missile was designed by the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) and is capable of carrying warheads weighing up to 2 tonnes,” NDTV reported on Monday.

K-4 is India’s intermediate-range submarine-launched ballistic missile, which may be tested in the coming days, NDTV reported on Monday.

India’s apprehension regarding Chinese maritime activities in its vicinity isn’t unprecedented. Historical instances, such as the docking of two Chinese naval submarines in Colombo in 2014 and visits by Chinese research vessels to Sri Lanka, have been sources of concern for New Delhi in the past.

A planned visit of the Xiang Yang Hong 3 to Colombo in January for replenishment before proceeding to the Maldives was ultimately canceled, probably reflecting the sensitivities surrounding such activities.