New Delhi, December 14: Chinese missile and satellite tracking ship 'Yuan Wang V' has exited the Indian Ocean after spending over a week in the region, people familiar with the development said on Wednesday. The Chinese spy ship, known to be fitted with various tracking and surveillance devices, entered the Indian Ocean around December 5 ahead of a plan by India for a likely test firing of a long-range ballistic missile in the Bay of Bengal, they said.

The Indian Navy kept a close eye on the movement of the ship. The docking of the ship at Hambantota port in August had triggered a diplomatic row between India and Sri Lanka. Open source intelligence expert Damien Symon on Monday tweeted that "Yuan Wang 5, #China's missile and satellite tracking vessel has entered the #IndianOcean region." India-China Faceoff: PLA Was Planning To Set Up Observation Post Near Arunachal Pradesh’s Holy Waterfalls, Says Indian Army Officer.

There was no official comment on either entry or exit of the ship from the Indian Ocean Region. The visit of the Chinese ship to the Indian Ocean comes amid increasing concerns over growing forays into the region by Chinese military and research vessels. India-China Tawang Clash: Undated Video of Indian Soldiers Repelling Chinese Troops Goes Viral Amid LAC Tension.

India is bolstering defence and security ties in the Indian Ocean with like-minded countries in the backdrop of concerns over China's growing forays into the region, considered the backyard of the Indian Navy.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)