Jammu, Feb. 7 -- Beijing and New Delhi are in a strategic silent war over presence in Indian Ocean

By Girish Linganna

The anticipated docking of a Chinese scientific vessel in the Maldives this week has heightened tensions among Beijing, Delhi, and Male. The ship Xiang Yang Hong 3 is officially visiting the Maldives to change its crew and stock up on supplies, which is a completely harmless visit says Beijing.

In Delhi, however, the ship's visit is viewed differently. At the very least, it's considered disrespect to India. At its worst, there's concern that the ship might be gathering information that could later help the Chinese military with submarine activities. However, experts on China have dismissed these worries.

"The Chinese v...