India Deploys P-8I Patrol Aircraft, Spy Drones To Monitor Chinese Military Presence In Indian Ocean

India has deployed Poseidon-8I patrol aircraft and spy drones at the forward military base in Andaman and Nicobar Islands to monitor Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

The deployment is part of the country’s strategy to discourage China from adopting a proactive maritime policy in the Indian Ocean. Various media reports have said that China is regularly sending its nuclear and conventional submarines to the IOR.

Defence Ministry officials were quoted as saying by TOI that two Poseidon-8I aircraft have been patrolling the maritime area in the strategically-located Andaman and Nicobar Islands for about two weeks now.

Navy and Air Force's Israeli Searcher-II unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have also been deployed in the archipelago on a temporary basis, the daily reported.

The P-8I aircraft are especially designed to gather intelligence and detect threats, which are armed with Harpoon Block-II missiles, MK-54 lightweight torpedoes, rockets and depth charges.