New Delhi: A Chinese research vessel, similar to the type against which India had previously expressed objections due to its operations near Sri Lanka, is expected to reach the Maldives within a couple of weeks, according to an independent intelligence researcher and open source data.China has the largest fleet of research vessels in the region, which experts believe serve both scientific and military purposes.In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account, researcher Damien Symon wrote that the Chinese research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 03 is “entering the Indian Ocean Region, displaying its destination as Male, the vessel is expected to run an ocean survey operation in the Indian Ocean Region raising concern in #India”.XIANG YANG HONG 03 a Chinese ocean research vessel is entering the Indian Ocean Region, displaying its destination as Male, the vessel is expected to run an ocean survey operation in the Indian Ocean Region raising concern in #India pic.twitter.com/y8v1r3ONZe— Damien Symon (@detresfa_) January 22, 2024According to data on shipspotting portal Marinetraffic.com, Xiang Yang Hong 03 departed from the Chinese port of Sanya on January 16 with Malé as its final destination. Currently cruising in the Java Sea, the vessel is anticipated to reach the Maldives around February 8, although Symon suggests an earlier arrival date of January 30.There is no official confirmation whether India has expressed objections with the Maldives over the visit of the research vessel, but New Delhi has previously done so when Chinese research vessels had visited neighbouring Sri Lanka. Defence sources stated that the Indian Navy is monitoring the activity of the ship.In 2022, Chinese research vessel Yuan Wang 5 docked at Hambantota, while another ship Shi Yan stayed for several days at Colombo port last year.Sri Lanka declared a one-year moratorium on the entry of all research vessels into its waters. While the official explanation cited the need to enhance capacity to manage foreign research vessels, the decision coincided with Colombo feeling pressured “being sandwiched” between the two Asian powers.While Sri Lanka has implemented a temporary ban, the Chinese research vessel is likely to receive a welcome in the Maldives. The new Maldives government under President Mohamed Muizzu has strained ties with India since taking over after the elections last November, demanding the removal of Indian military personnel stationed to operate three donated aircraft for humanitarian emergencies.President Muizzu also went for his first state visit in foreign country to China earlier this month, which was the first time that a democratically elected president of the archipelago nation had not chosen India as first port of call after election. Separately, a senior official of the Communist Party of China met with Muizzu on Monday.A 2020 report by the Washington-based think tank CSIS on Chinese research vessel activities in the Indo-Pacific highlighted that such research could serve both civilian and military purposes. The collection of undersea data is considered crucial for detecting submarines, making it vital for naval reconnaissance. Consequently, the routes taken by Chinese research vessels have been closely examined for any tell-tale behaviour.A new report by CSIS on the same topic released earlier this month observed that many of the research vessels are owned and operated by state-affiliated organisations with close ties to the Chinese military.The US research group wrote that Xiang Yang Hong class vessels were earlier overseen by China’s State Oceanic Administration, which is linked to the PLA. It is now under institutes of the Chinese Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), which is also closely tied to the military.As per the 2020 report, Xiang Yang Hong 03, the Chinese ship, which is currently on the way to Malé, had four years ago circulated within 30 nautical miles of the US territories of Guam and Northern Mariana islands and conducted bathymetric survey in waters that included part of the US extended economic zone. A few months later, it also appeared to be conducting research near Hawaii, before suddenly changing its course.The US has previously raised objection with Sri Lanka over the visit of Chinese research vessels.A day earlier, the Commander of the Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral John Aquilino, had met with the Maldivian leadership, but there is no public mention of any contentious issue being raised in the readouts.Symon also posted that Xiang Yang Hong 03 had been surveying in the Bay of Bengal since November 2019 and in the Arabian Sea a year later.XIANG YANG HONG 03 the Chinese ocean research vessel heading to Male, Maldives is no stranger to the region, having conducted ocean surveys in 2019 & 2020, the vessel has been observed in the IOR, Bay of Bengal & Arabian Sea raising fresh concerns in #India https://t.co/WsiMOzjYkZ pic.twitter.com/8iDzCSuVEg— Damien Symon (@detresfa_) January 22, 2024In its latest report, CSIS also tracked the operations of another vessel, Hai Yang Shi You 260, which conducted a seismic survey lasting four months within Bangladesh’s Extended Economic Zone in early 2023. The report observed that the Chinese ship made repeated port calls at Chittagong during its stay, indicating that it had the consent of the Bangladesh government.“Once the survey was complete, the Hai Yang Shi You 760 returned to its home port at Zhanjiang, just beside the headquarters of the PLA Navy’s South Sea Fleet,” the report said.Unlike the current administration in Malé, India has been on friendly terms with the Sheikh Hasina government in Dhaka, which recently came back for a fifth term after winning an election boycotted by the opposition. It is not clear whether India had raised any objection with Bangladesh about the activity of the research vessel.The Chinese government objected to the CSIS report’s conclusion that the activities of the research vessels had military purposes.“What I can tell you is that China’s scientific marine surveys are conducted in full compliance with the UNCLOS and have contributed to research on ocean science. We hope relevant parties will view China’s scientific surveys as they are and not through tainted spectacles,” said the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on January 12.