Chinese ‘Spy Ship’ Spotted Near Indian Waters Amid India-Pak Tensions

A Chinese ship named Da Yang Yi Hao is heading towards India’s maritime neighbourhood, amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan following the recent terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam.

According to open-source intelligence expert Damien Symon, the vessel is coming from the Malacca Strait and appears to be moving towards the south of Sri Lanka, placing it in the Bay of Bengal, an area of increasing strategic sensitivity for India.

Symon shared a maritime map on X (formerly Twitter) tracking the ship’s route.

The Chinese officially identify the Da Yang Yi Hao as a research ship, but several countries including India recognise it as a spy ship. The vessel has been linked to surveillance activities in the past, particularly during missile tests and naval operations, raising suspicions about its true purpose.

The ship started its operations in July 2019 and is one of the most advanced in China’s fleet of survey ships. It is often described as a floating laboratory with highly sophisticated technology.

According to reports, it can map the ocean floor, detect submarine movements, track missile launches, and carry out marine resource surveys under the cover of oceanographic expeditions. This makes Da Yang Yi Hao a dual-purpose ship- appearing civilian on the surface but with deep military capabilities.

It is part of a fleet of four Chinese “research” ships, which are frequently spotted across the Indian Ocean Region and the Bay of Bengal. The other three include Xiang Yang Hong 03, Xiang Yang Hong 01, and Bei Diao 996.

China’s DA YANG YI HAO, a geology & geophysics survey vessel, capable of seabed mapping, equipped with a submersible vessel onboard – has now entered the Indian Ocean Region pic.twitter.com/HGtJmyMdPb

— Damien Symon (@detresfa_) May 14, 2025

In 2024, the Xiang Yang Hong 03 conducted ocean surveys for several weeks and even docked twice at Malé, the capital of the Maldives. Around the same time, Xiang Yang Hong 01 was spotted in the Bay of Bengal, staying in the area just before an Indian missile test.

At one point, it came as close as 250 nautical miles from Visakhapatnam, a key base for India’s naval operations and home to its nuclear submarine fleet.

According to a report by India Today, these ships are believed to monitor missile tests conducted from the Balasore test range and the Integrated Test Range (ITR) on APJ Abdul Kalam Island.

Analysts believe that Chinese ships gather crucial coordinates during these firings and transmit them to Chinese satellites for detailed analysis.

India Today journalist reported that such vessels may also attempt to detect acoustic signatures of Indian nuclear submarines stationed near Visakhapatnam, allowing China to better track or recognise these submarines in a conflict scenario. This kind of surveillance happens under the false label of hydrographic surveys.

This isn’t the first time Da Yang Yi Hao has come under scrutiny. In 2021, the same ship was flagged for unauthorised activities within Palau’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

According to Naval News, the type of data the ship was collecting was of particular interest to submarine warfare. It was operating near the Kyushu-Palau Ridge, a strategic undersea region that could play a significant role in future naval conflicts.

Experts believe they are used to quietly monitor and gather intelligence on Indian defence preparedness, especially related to missiles and submarines.

Da Yang Yi Hao’s movements are being closely monitored by Indian authorities. The situation is being treated with caution.

References: timesnownews, firstpost

Source: Maritime Shipping News