In the midst of concerns about Chinese firmness that grew in the Indo-Pacific, the German warship will be anchored in Mumbai later this month.
Viewed as a “signal” to China, the spread of Frigate Bayern by Germany at the Indo-Pacific followed the announcement of its strategy by 2020 to enforce international regularity based in the region.
The Brandenburg class frigate has recently entered the waters of the South China Sea (SCS), becoming the first German warship to do it in 2 decades.
Germany became the second European country after France announced, on September 2020, a new strategy for the Indo-Pacific, among others, underlined the importance of unclos and freedom of navigation to ensure there were no interference with maritime trade routes.
Frigate is expected to dock in Mumbai on January 21.
The actual engagement here will depend on the limitation of Covid locking at that time.
Official sources say the option to display vegetable vessels is also being considered while in Mumbai.
The frigate was sent to the Indo-Pacific in August last year on “patrol mission and training” when Germany tried to support its activities in the region.
China was reported to have denied the Frigat stopover in Shanghai in September.
The presence of Bayern in the Indo-Pacific is seen as a precursor for more deployment by Germany in the region despite strong economic bonds with China.
After the Fregat crossed the SCS last month and docked in Singapore, the Deputy Head of the German Admiral Kay-Achim Schonbach was quoted as saying that the spread of Bayern was a “signal” for Beijing in facing maritime claims “swept and violating law”.
He also suggested more military spread by Germany when he described Bayern’s mission as “only teaser”.
However, while the fregat docked in many countries in the region since August last year, it did not enter the Taiwan Strait.
The German authorities also said that Bayern’s presence at SCS underlined Germany’s sustainable commitment to freedom of navigation and “preservation of the rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific, who came under pressure in the South China Sea”.
“The People’s Republic of China, for example, made spacious maritime claims and did not recognize the 2016 Unclos Arbitration Decision in the Spratly Islands.
There were repeated incidents with other countries bordering the islands,” he said.
According to Germany, interference with maritime trade routes in the Indo-Pacific and the supply chain to and from Europe will have a serious impact on “prosperity and supply to Germany and Europe”.