ISLAMABAD: Seizure of an autoclave, destined for Pakistan, by Indian authorities from a Chinese ship could be part of actions being taken by Delhi to assert itself in the Indian Ocean, Pakistani officials believe.

Indian authorities had detained Chinese merchant vessel MV Da Cui Yun on Feb 3 at Deendayal Port, formerly known as Kandla Port, alleging it carried a dual-use autoclave and that the equipment had been mis-declared in the cargo manifest. It was claimed that the autoclave could be used in the manufacture of ballistic missiles. The ship was later allowed to proceed to Karachi Port on Feb 20.

Both Pakistan and China have strongly rejected Indian allegation saying the seized autoclave was meant for commercial use.

The Foreign Office (FO) issued a statement on Saturday, saying it had been approached by the importer of the autoclave, which was identified as a Pakistan-based private firm.

“The item under question is a heat treatment furnace casing system which has several industrial applications. It is not listed in any international export control list,” the FO insisted and denied that any wrongful declaration was made in the documentation as “there was no attempt to hide or conceal any information”.

“Claims regarding the possible military dimension of the held item are factually incorrect. Similar furnaces are being used in several industries in Pak­istan and the world over,” it further clarified.

The Chinese foreign ministry had earlier in the week emphasised that as a “responsible country” it was fully compliant with international non-proliferation obligations and international commitments.

“The Pakistan-bound merchant vessel from China was detained by India, but the autoclave on the ship that India claimed to be material for ballistic missiles is neither military supplies nor dual-use items under non-proliferation and export control,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lijian Zhao had said.

The Indian move has raised questions about its motive. The Indian Ocean has become a site of intense competition between China and India.

India has over the past few years taken several steps to assert itself in the ocean, including measures for controlling the traffic in the Strait of Malacca, naval patrols, augmenting military capabilities and expanding influence among the littoral states. India’s partnership with the United States in the Indo-Pacific has encouraged Delhi to seek a larger role in the Indo-Pacific theatre.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2020