India...God love ‘em...could screw up public relations at a cash give-away contest.
Turning down China’s request was amateurish.
So you trust the Chinese?
Would the US allow Russia to “search” for lost planes near Hawaii? Didnt think so.. same logic applies here. Hawaii has a huge base. The Andaman & Nicobar Islands have the Indian Navy HQ there as well as a listening post and no sane country would allow another country with which it has fought wars with to come in that close with military vessels.
With submarine warfare as big as it is, China’s offer would allow them to make excellent charts for use in future conflicts.
IMHO, the Indians were right to say, “No, thanks.”
They probably had a very good reason though since the Chinese would undoubtedly take the opportunity to spy on the Indians.
Would you allow your seedy neighbors down the block into your house to find out what you own?
The Indians have just demonstrated they understand who their neighbors are and aren’t about to let them in their house to find out what they own.
The Chinese asked so they could spy.
Same thing happened. Was that a public relations nightmare too? Nope, just good old fashion cold war politics at its finest.
This is the same.
Contrary to what liberals think, Indians and Chinese have hated each others guts for almost eight hundred years.
Think Mongol invasion using Chinese troops and two wars post 1946 independence.
Nope... Just a very valid fear of the Chinese.