Silent invasion: China's fishing fleet is militarising the Indian Ocean

The link between China's fishing fleet and its naval presence is evident in the expansion of PLAN bases and dual-use ports across the Indian Ocean.

- COMMODORE JOHNSON DAKKAL (RETD)

Fishing vessels should not be a national security concern. Yet, the increasing presence of China's massive distant-water fishing fleet in the Indian Ocean is more than an economic issue—it is a geopolitical manoeuvre. This fleet, operating under the guise of commercial activity, serves a dual purpose: depleting fish stocks while expanding Beijing's maritime footprint. India, the primary regional power in the Indian Ocean, finds itself at the front-line of this encroachment. While violations of territorial waters and overfishing by foreign vessels are not new, China's state-backed fishing operations represent something more insidious—a silent invasion.

Unlike other fishing nations, China has actively blurred the lines between economic enterprise and state ambition. Its distant-water fishing fleet, the largest in the world with over 17,000 vessels, has expanded into the Indian Ocean at an alarming rate. These vessels do not merely seek fish; they establish a persistent maritime presence that challenges regional sovereignty and pushes the boundaries of international law. Under the cover of distant-water fishing, China's People's Armed Forces Maritime Militia (PAFMM) operates in tandem with the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and the China Coast Guard. While the world's attention has largely focused on China's maritime aggression in the South China Sea, the IOR is emerging as its next frontier.

ECONOMIC PREDATION DISGUISED AS FISHING

At the heart of the issue lies an economic problem masquerading as a security challenge. China's distant-water fishing fleets are heavily subsidized by the government, allowing them to operate in international and foreign waters at minimal cost.