Ghalib Kabir commented August 2, 2022.
A Chinese SIGINT and missile instrumentation ship [the 25,000 tonne Yuan Wang 5, photo above] was due to dock in at Hambantota, Sri Lanka on August 11. 2022. It could potentially snoop on Indian ELF submarine communication facilities close to North Sri Lanka besides other naval installations on India's South East Coast.
The dual standards are galling. Beijing was hopping mad when USN missile instrumentation ships sailed 'close by' to China and now have the temerity to lecture India to not be upset.
Pete Comment
As well as all sorts of Sri Lankan communications INS Kattabomman, a submarine command radio station on the southern tip of India, might be a prime candidate of Chinese interception ship interest. Even if China hasn't cracked India's naval codes this large Chinese ship can perform signals traffic analysis that reveals much about the workings of India's navy.
Depending on where Yuan Wang 5 sails, it can also intercept much from India's civilian (eg. NTRO), defence, army, airforce and Navy shore bases and from Indian ships.
Also if India happens to be testing K series SLBM or Agni series ICBM missiles Yuan Wang 5's communications and telemetry interception capabilities could glean much.