Chinese Navy

Naval forces from China, Iran and Russia all countries at varying degrees of odds with the United States are staging joint drills in the Gulf of Oman this week, China's Defence Ministry has announced. Other countries are also taking part in the Security Bond-2023 exercises, the ministry said Tuesday without giving details. Iran, Pakistan, Oman and the United Arab Emirates all have coastline along the waterbody lying at the mouth of the strategic Persian Gulf. This exercise will help deepen practical cooperation between the participating countries' navies ... and inject positive energy into regional peace and stability, the ministry statement said. The exercises scheduled for Wednesday through Sunday come amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and China over a range of issues, including China's refusal to criticise Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine and continuing support for the Russian economy. The U.S. and its allies have condemned the invasion, imposed punishing economic

Also, China is preparing to launch its third aircraft carrier

India has just one aircraft carrier against China's two; just 10 destroyers against China's 42 larger vessels; just 13 frigates against the PLA(N)'s 44; and barely 28 corvettes against China's 71

Some military experts believe an air-to-air missile was fired

Navy Vice Chief Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar said the Indian Navy is very well prepared to secure the maritime boundaries of the country

A top Indian Navy officer said that it 'could pose a threat' to Indian interests in the region and there is a need to keep a close watch on such activities

A Chinese navy unit recently completed a far-ranging month-long training exercise in the Pacific Ocean

This comes against the backdrop of growing concern over China's increasing maritime presence in the Indian Ocean region.

The Philippine government expressed concern after spotting more than 200 Chinese fishing vessels it believed were crewed by militias at a reef claimed by both countries in the South China Sea

The DF-26B and DF-21D missiles fired Wednesday targeted an area between the southern island province of Hainan and the Paracel Islands

China has been adding new naval ships on a monthly basis

China has one aircraft carrier, which is a refurbished vessel from the -former Soviet Union