There is a situation of tension between China and America regarding a spy balloon. America claims that China was not just spying on it, India is also included in the countries that China spied on through such balloons. The question is whether now the Indian Air Force will attack and hunt them like America.
According to the report of US intelligence agencies, between December 2021 and January 2022, China’s spy balloon spied on India’s military base. This spy balloon flew over Port Blair, the capital of Andaman and Nicobar. Photos of one such balloon also went viral on social media.
It is a matter of concern that in the last week of December 2021, the soldiers of all three wings (Army, Airforce, and Navy) of the Indian Army gathered together to drill in Andaman and Nicobar. The report claimed that this spy balloon of China was seen in Andaman and Nicobar only during the Tri-Service Command. However, no official statement came from the Government of India on this.
America claims – China is spying with balloons in many countries
The secret eyes of China at a height of 24 to 37 kilometers i.e. 80 thousand to 120 thousand feet from the ground are now being discussed all over the world. Last week, the US destroyed China’s spy balloon in the sky itself.
The US Defense Department Pentagon said on January 8 that such Chinese balloons had been monitoring military bases in the US, South America, Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Europe for the past several years. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters, ‘America was not the only target. They have infiltrated many countries on 5 continents. We are giving information about this to the countries.
What are these Chinese balloons?
The history of spy balloons seen in India and America begins with the Second World War. These are capsule-shaped and several meters long. They have been commonly used to gather information related to the weather. China’s spy balloon was 120 feet wide and 130 feet long. China claims that this balloon was also released only to collect weather information.
Such balloons can easily fly at an altitude of 24 thousand to 37 thousand feet from the ground. However, this Chinese balloon was flying at an altitude of 60 thousand feet above America. Monitoring such balloons is a very difficult task. Common planes also fly only up to 40 thousand feet, only fighter jets can go up to 65 thousand feet. Only some other spy planes like U-2 can go up to a height of 80 thousand feet.
Some balloons are fitted with electro-optical sensors or digital cameras which, depending on their resolution, can capture very precise images. They are also equipped with radio signals and satellite transmission capability.
India also has spy balloons
The Indian Air Force (IAF) purchased 2 long-range aerostat balloons named EL/M-2083 from Israel in the year 2002. They were deployed to monitor the weather in the Kutch region of Gujarat. In the year 2008-09 also IAF bought 2 aerostat balloons from the French company Rafale. The cost of one was said to be around Rs 338 crore. The decision to buy them was taken after the terrorist attacks in Punjab and Mumbai. The 2010 CAG report revealed that one of these had met with an accident in 2009.
In the year 2010, DRDO launched an indigenous aerostat balloon named ‘Divya Chakshu’. Its range is 1500 feet. In February 2016, the IAF agreed to buy 8 more aerostats. However, it was later put on hold.
China spies on India, how dangerous is this
According to the report of intelligence agencies, in the year 2016 also, through similar balloons, China spied on the Indian border with Tibet. From the point of view of gathering intelligence on military bases for monitoring signals and systems, modern balloons can do this much better.”
These balloons were hovering over India as well, how can India stop this espionage from China?
Expert says that India first needs to understand what is the capability of these balloons and what kind of intelligence they are gathering. After this, India will be able to decide whether its surveillance system can dodge this intelligence-gathering trick of China.
Even though the intelligence-gathering capability of these balloons is limited in some cases, China has flown them over the US. It is not difficult to imagine that China would be flying these balloons over India as well, such a case has come to the fore in Tibet.
The tension between India and China, in such a situation of espionage, is a serious issue
Military tensions between India and China have increased in recent years. The armies of both countries have been on alert since the conflict in the Galvan Valley. A few months ago, there was a clash between the armies of China and India in Tawang of Arunachal Pradesh.
Defense expert says that the job of intelligence balloons is to spy. If Chinese balloons have passed over India, then it is clear that they must have spied on Indian military bases. Tension is also going on between India and China since 2020, in such a situation it is a very serious matter. Indian Army must have been aware of their presence. These balloons are not something that cannot be seen or known about.
It cannot be that America has not told India
Expert says that Intelligence inputs are shared between America and India. It is quite possible that when these balloons would have been over India, America would have informed India as well. As far as India is concerned, it would not have had any problem in locating them even on its own. India should be alert to this.
Will India also act?
Following the order of the US President, the US Air Force shot down a Chinese balloon over the Atlantic Ocean. The US Navy has also recovered its debris. The study of the debris will provide more information about these balloons and their intelligence-gathering capability. There is also a question of whether India can also shoot down such balloons of China passing over it and what will India do if these balloons come again into India’s airspace in the future.
Expert says that India has the capability to shoot down the balloons. It is not a very difficult task, but it will be a diplomatic and political decision. The question is whether India will be able to do this in the current tension with China. It is difficult to answer this question, but as far as capability and possibility are concerned, India has full capability to shoot down such balloons.
Experts also believe that India will try to take possession of this Chinese balloon.
China is making balloons equipped with new technologies
The methods of warfare and espionage are changing. These Chinese balloons have opened a new frontier in the sky. The China’s National University of Defense Technology has a team of experts working on the balloons. An article published in 2020 in China’s army paper ‘People’s Liberation Army Daily’, it was told how near space (space close to the earth) is becoming a new battlefield.
In the same way that submarines were the base of undersea espionage during the second world war, now it seems that these balloons are becoming the new platform of espionage and in the future, there may be more conflicts in this area.
China will be able to launch accurate missile attacks with the help of input
John K. Culver, the senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and senior intelligence officer at the CIA, told the New York Times, “The data collected from these balloons flying over the US and our allies could make it easier for China to launch missile strikes.” Because he will have more information about the target than this.
There has been no reaction from the Indian government or the army on the presence of Chinese balloons in India’s airspace, but after the American report, questions have definitely been raised about India’s security.
The US Intelligence Agency claims that China is monitoring military sites of countries around the world through spy balloons. China has been doing this for many years. He has so far gathered intelligence by sending similar balloons to 12 countries on 5 continents. According to US military officials, China is sending spy balloons mostly to those countries, due to which tension is going on.
