The Kremlin says it has nothing to do with Russian civilians fighting in Syria but on three recent occasions groups of men flying in from Damascus headed straight to a defence ministry base in Molkino, Reuters reporters witnessed.

Molkino in southwestern Russia is where the Russian 10th Special Forces Brigade is based, according to information on the Kremlin website.

The destination of the Russians arriving from Syria provides rare evidence of a covert Russian mission in Syria beyond the air strikes, training of Syrian forces and small numbers of special forces troops acknowledged by Moscow.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Feb. 14 Russians may be in Syria but "they are not part of the armed forces of the Russian Federation". He referred Reuters to the defence ministry when asked why civilians fighting in Syria return to a military base. The ministry did not immediately respond.

A duty officer at the 10th special forces brigade, asked why non-military people were entering the military base, said: "Nobody enters it, as far as I am aware ... You've seen them, okay. But you should not believe everything ... You can maybe. But how can we comment on what other organisations do?"

More than 2,000 Russian contractors are fighting to help Syrian forces recapture land from their opponents, several sources, including one contractor, have said.

The contractors are transferred by Syrian airline Cham Wings, the sources said.

Reuters reporters saw a Syrian Cham Wings charter flight from Damascus land at the civilian airport in Rostov-on-Don on April 17 and watched groups of men leave the terminal through an exit separate from the one used by ordinary passengers.

They boarded three buses, which took them to an area mainly used by airport staff. A luggage carrier brought numerous oversized bags and the men, dressed in civilian clothes, got off the buses, loaded the bags and got back on.

The three buses then left the airport in convoy and headed south two made stops near cafes along the way and one on the roadside. All three reached the village of Molkino, 350 km (220 miles) south, shortly before midnight.

In the village, each bus paused for a minute or two at a checkpoint manned by at least two servicemen, before driving on. About 15-20 minutes later the buses drove back through the checkpoint empty. Publicly available satellite maps show the road leads to the military facility.

The buses took men along the same route from the airport to Molkino on Mar. 25 and Apr. 6, a Reuters reporter saw.

Several relatives, friends and recruiters of fighters told Reuters Russian private contractors have had a training camp in Molkino since the time they fought in eastern Ukraine alongside pro-Russian separatists.

The military facility is known for its recently renovated firing range, where the military trains for counter terrorist operations, tank battles and sniper shooting, the Russian defence ministry website says.

Reuters contacted the owners of some of the buses transporting the groups of men from the airport. They said they rent out their buses but declined to say who to: one said a trip to Molkino could have been an excursion.

One of the buses, a white 33-year-old Neoplan with a slogan of a tourist company on its boards, was imported into Russia in 2007 and initially registered in the town of Pechory. Dmitry Utkin, identified by three sources as leader of the contractors, previously commanded a special forces unit based in Pechory.

Molkino in southwestern Russia is where the Russian 10th Special Forces Brigade is based, according to information on the Kremlin website

The Kremlin says it has nothing to do with Russian civilians fighting in Syria but on three recent occasions groups of men flying in from Damascus headed straight to a defence ministry base in Molkino, Reuters reporters witnessed. Molkino in southwestern Russia is where the Russian 10th Special Forces Brigade is based, according to information on the Kremlin website. The destination of the Russians arriving from Syria provides rare evidence of a covert Russian mission in Syria beyond the air strikes, training of Syrian forces and small numbers of special forces troops acknowledged by Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Feb. 14 Russians may be in Syria but "they are not part of the armed forces of the Russian Federation". He referred Reuters to the defence ministry when asked why civilians fighting in Syria return to a military base. The ministry did not immediately respond. A duty officer at the 10th special forces brigade, asked why non-military people were entering the military base, said: "Nobody enters it, as far as I am aware ... You've seen them, okay. But you should not believe everything ... You can maybe. But how can we comment on what other organisations do?" More than 2,000 Russian contractors are fighting to help Syrian forces recapture land from their opponents, several sources, including one contractor, have said. The contractors are transferred by Syrian airline Cham Wings, the sources said. Reuters reporters saw a Syrian Cham Wings charter flight from Damascus land at the civilian airport in Rostov-on-Don on April 17 and watched groups of men leave the terminal through an exit separate from the one used by ordinary passengers. They boarded three buses, which took them to an area mainly used by airport staff. A luggage carrier brought numerous oversized bags and the men, dressed in civilian clothes, got off the buses, loaded the bags and got back on. The three buses then left the airport in convoy and headed south two made stops near cafes along the way and one on the roadside. All three reached the village of Molkino, 350 km (220 miles) south, shortly before midnight. In the village, each bus paused for a minute or two at a checkpoint manned by at least two servicemen, before driving on. About 15-20 minutes later the buses drove back through the checkpoint empty. Publicly available satellite maps show the road leads to the military facility. The buses took men along the same route from the airport to Molkino on Mar. 25 and Apr. 6, a Reuters reporter saw. Several relatives, friends and recruiters of fighters told Reuters Russian private contractors have had a training camp in Molkino since the time they fought in eastern Ukraine alongside pro-Russian separatists. The military facility is known for its recently renovated firing range, where the military trains for counter terrorist operations, tank battles and sniper shooting, the Russian defence ministry website says. Reuters contacted the owners of some of the buses transporting the groups of men from the airport. They said they rent out their buses but declined to say who to: one said a trip to Molkino could have been an excursion. One of the buses, a white 33-year-old Neoplan with a slogan of a tourist company on its boards, was imported into Russia in 2007 and initially registered in the town of Pechory. Dmitry Utkin, identified by three sources as leader of the contractors, previously commanded a special forces unit based in Pechory.

Russian civilians helping Assad use military base back home - Witnesses

Myanmar is allegedly building military bases on the top of razed Rohingya villages, where the Rohingyas once lived before their persecution by the country&#39;s security forces in August last year.

The development has raised questions over the safety of hundreds of thousands of persecuted Rohingyas due to be repatriated from neighbouring Bangladesh to Myanmar.

According to detailed satellite images published by Amnesty International on Monday, it appeared to show &quot;new security infrastructure&quot; replacing the burnt homes of the refugees, after Myanmarese forces launched a brutal campaign against the Rohingyas, which the United Nations has described the violence as &quot;ethnic cleansing&quot;.

Tirana Hassan, Amnesty&#39;s crisis response director, said, &quot;The remaking of Rakhine State (in Myanmar) is taking place in a shroud of secrecy. The authorities cannot be allowed to continue their campaign of ethnic cleansing in the name of &#39;development&#39;.&quot;

Amnesty&#39;s analysis of new satellite imagery appears to prove that at least three new security bases have been built in Rakhine since January, while more were found to be under construction, The Telegraph reported.

Hassan added, &quot;What we are seeing is a land grab by the military on a dramatic scale. New bases are being erected to house the very same security forces that have committed crimes against humanity against Rohingyas.&quot;

The images also show new refugee reception centres surrounded by the new security fences and a heavy presence of military forces, raising concerns that Myanmar is preparing to restrict the freedom of the Rohingya refugees returning home to safety.

In January, Bangladesh and Myanmar have agreed on a two-year timeframe for the repatriation of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees.

An estimated 7,00,000 Rohingyas have fled the country in an attempt to escape the atrocities committed by Myanmar&#39;s military forces against the minority community.

The process, which was supposed to start from January 22 was delayed as some critics of the deal voiced concerns over the lack of security guarantees for those who would return.

Despite the ongoing preparations for repatriation, more than 2,500 Rohingyas have crossed into Bangladesh this year.

According to Bangladesh government&#39;s statistics, an average of 75 Rohingya refugees fled their villages in Myanmar every day between January 1 and February 15.

Rohingyas are a Muslim minority ethnic group in Myanmar. They have been regarded by many majority Buddhists as illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

There are more than 3,00,000 Rohingyas living in Bangladesh, who fled in earlier waves of violence from Myanmar since the last three decades.

Hassan added, "What we are seeing is a land grab by the military on a dramatic scale. New bases are being erected to house the very same security forces that have committed crimes against humanity against Rohingyas."

Myanmar is allegedly building military bases on the top of razed Rohingya villages, where the Rohingyas once lived before their persecution by the country's security forces in August last year. The development has raised questions over the safety of hundreds of thousands of persecuted Rohingyas due to be repatriated from neighbouring Bangladesh to Myanmar. According to detailed satellite images published by Amnesty International on Monday, it appeared to show "new security infrastructure" replacing the burnt homes of the refugees, after Myanmarese forces launched a brutal campaign against the Rohingyas, which the United Nations has described the violence as "ethnic cleansing". Tirana Hassan, Amnesty's crisis response director, said, "The remaking of Rakhine State (in Myanmar) is taking place in a shroud of secrecy. The authorities cannot be allowed to continue their campaign of ethnic cleansing in the name of 'development'." Amnesty's analysis of new satellite imagery appears to prove that at least three new security bases have been built in Rakhine since January, while more were found to be under construction, The Telegraph reported. Hassan added, "What we are seeing is a land grab by the military on a dramatic scale. New bases are being erected to house the very same security forces that have committed crimes against humanity against Rohingyas." The images also show new refugee reception centres surrounded by the new security fences and a heavy presence of military forces, raising concerns that Myanmar is preparing to restrict the freedom of the Rohingya refugees returning home to safety. In January, Bangladesh and Myanmar have agreed on a two-year timeframe for the repatriation of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees. An estimated 7,00,000 Rohingyas have fled the country in an attempt to escape the atrocities committed by Myanmar's military forces against the minority community. The process, which was supposed to start from January 22 was delayed as some critics of the deal voiced concerns over the lack of security guarantees for those who would return. Despite the ongoing preparations for repatriation, more than 2,500 Rohingyas have crossed into Bangladesh this year. According to Bangladesh government's statistics, an average of 75 Rohingya refugees fled their villages in Myanmar every day between January 1 and February 15. Rohingyas are a Muslim minority ethnic group in Myanmar. They have been regarded by many majority Buddhists as illegal migrants from Bangladesh. There are more than 3,00,000 Rohingyas living in Bangladesh, who fled in earlier waves of violence from Myanmar since the last three decades.

Myanmar building military bases in burnt Rohingya villages

A plan for India to build a military base on an outlying Seychelles island has won favour among the archipelago nation&rsquo;s politicians, but some hostility from its people.

Late last month, India and the Seychelles&nbsp;signed a revised agreement&nbsp;granting India permission to construct a military base on the Seychelles&#39;&nbsp;Assumption Island, roughly 1,650 kilometers (1,025 miles) east of mainland East Africa.

The base on Assumption Island is to be funded by India and shared by the two countries&rsquo; militaries.

The deal was struck in principle in 2015 during a visit to the Seychelles by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but progress since has been slow.&nbsp;The deal&nbsp;will provide India with a crucial military staging point in what is fast becoming a critically strategic region.

The government of the Seychelles, based in Victoria on Mahe Island 1,135 kilometres (705 miles) northeast of Assumption, says the base will help coastguards to patrol its 1.3 million square kilometre (500,000 square mile) exclusive economic zone for illegal fishing, drug trafficking and piracy.

India plans to invest $550 million dollars in building the base to help it ensure the safety of its vessels in the southern Indian Ocean. It also says the base will be a resource for other shipping nations.

&ldquo;Assumption is very close to the Mozambique Channel where much of the international trade is transiting, and not just for India but for other countries as well, and our interest is that our trading vessels are safe,&rdquo; said India&rsquo;s ambassador in Victoria, Ausaf Sayeed.

India has had a military cooperation agreement with the Seychelles since 2003 and the deal would give it use of the Assumption base for up to 30 years. Indian soldiers would be deployed on the island and help train Seychelles&rsquo; troops.

&ldquo;What we did in relation to the first agreement is to clarify some points that could give rise to litigation,&rdquo; said Frank Ally, the Seychelles&rsquo; attorney general.

He said these included a prohibition on any nuclear uses of the island or weapons storage. India is also not allowed to use Assumption in war.

Seeking to allay fears the government has made available to the public some details of the classified defence agreement. Nevertheless, the project remains controversial with small weekly demonstrations in the capital.

Indian presence in the Seychelles is a sensitive matter. Some fear an influx of Indian workers who, they say, might come to dominate the economy, while others consider a foreign power building a military base an affront to sovereignty and national pride.

&ldquo;The Seychelles can make its own military base, I am against any foreign military presence!&rdquo; said Guilmert Corgat, a businessman in Victoria who attended a town hall meeting on the plan in late February.

&ldquo;If this deal is so good for the Seychelles, why don&rsquo;t we hold a referendum?&rdquo; asked Alexia Amesbury, a lawyer.

During the discussions, foreign minister Barry Faure was forced to insist the government was not giving the island away, &ldquo;because Assumption belongs to the Seychelles&rdquo;.

Opponents of the plan also cite Assumption&rsquo;s relative proximity to Aldabra atoll, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is home to the world&rsquo;s largest population of giant tortoises.

Environmentalists worry about the possible impact of a large military presence so close to an ecosystem that has survived precisely because of the absence of people.

Despite the dissenting voices, Sayeed remains positive that parliament will ratify the new agreement when it reopens this month.

With the opposition, like the government, broadly in favour of the base, though against too many concessions to India, the diplomat&rsquo;s optimism may be well-founded.

&ldquo;I think politicians and people who see the positive side of this cooperation will be in favour, and I am convinced that it will pass,&rdquo; he said.

(with inputs from AFP)

The deal was struck in principle in 2015 during a visit to the Seychelles by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but progress since has been slow.

A plan for India to build a military base on an outlying Seychelles island has won favour among the archipelago nation’s politicians, but some hostility from its people. Late last month, India and the Seychelles signed a revised agreement granting India permission to construct a military base on the Seychelles' Assumption Island, roughly 1,650 kilometers (1,025 miles) east of mainland East Africa. The base on Assumption Island is to be funded by India and shared by the two countries’ militaries. The deal was struck in principle in 2015 during a visit to the Seychelles by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but progress since has been slow. The deal will provide India with a crucial military staging point in what is fast becoming a critically strategic region. The government of the Seychelles, based in Victoria on Mahe Island 1,135 kilometres (705 miles) northeast of Assumption, says the base will help coastguards to patrol its 1.3 million square kilometre (500,000 square mile) exclusive economic zone for illegal fishing, drug trafficking and piracy. India plans to invest $550 million dollars in building the base to help it ensure the safety of its vessels in the southern Indian Ocean. It also says the base will be a resource for other shipping nations. “Assumption is very close to the Mozambique Channel where much of the international trade is transiting, and not just for India but for other countries as well, and our interest is that our trading vessels are safe,” said India’s ambassador in Victoria, Ausaf Sayeed. India has had a military cooperation agreement with the Seychelles since 2003 and the deal would give it use of the Assumption base for up to 30 years. Indian soldiers would be deployed on the island and help train Seychelles’ troops. “What we did in relation to the first agreement is to clarify some points that could give rise to litigation,” said Frank Ally, the Seychelles’ attorney general. He said these included a prohibition on any nuclear uses of the island or weapons storage. India is also not allowed to use Assumption in war. Seeking to allay fears the government has made available to the public some details of the classified defence agreement. Nevertheless, the project remains controversial with small weekly demonstrations in the capital. Indian presence in the Seychelles is a sensitive matter. Some fear an influx of Indian workers who, they say, might come to dominate the economy, while others consider a foreign power building a military base an affront to sovereignty and national pride. “The Seychelles can make its own military base, I am against any foreign military presence!” said Guilmert Corgat, a businessman in Victoria who attended a town hall meeting on the plan in late February. “If this deal is so good for the Seychelles, why don’t we hold a referendum?” asked Alexia Amesbury, a lawyer. During the discussions, foreign minister Barry Faure was forced to insist the government was not giving the island away, “because Assumption belongs to the Seychelles”. Opponents of the plan also cite Assumption’s relative proximity to Aldabra atoll, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is home to the world’s largest population of giant tortoises. Environmentalists worry about the possible impact of a large military presence so close to an ecosystem that has survived precisely because of the absence of people. Despite the dissenting voices, Sayeed remains positive that parliament will ratify the new agreement when it reopens this month. With the opposition, like the government, broadly in favour of the base, though against too many concessions to India, the diplomat’s optimism may be well-founded. “I think politicians and people who see the positive side of this cooperation will be in favour, and I am convinced that it will pass,” he said. (with inputs from AFP)

India plans military base in Seychelles, fosters controversy

Sri Lanks&#39;s southern port, Hambantota, will not be used as a foreign military base, Sri Lankan Army Chief Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne clarified today at the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2018 at the Manekshaw Centre.

Wijegunaratne assured of no such action to take place in the Sri Lankan harbours and waters &quot;which would jeopardise India&#39;s security concerns.&quot; He further reiterated Sri Lanka&#39;s stand on not entering into any military alliance with any nation.&nbsp;

Sr Lanka will not make its naval bases available to any other countries, the chief added further.&nbsp;

The Hambantota port was handed over to China on a 99-year lease. The port will now be co-owned by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and the China Merchants Port Holdings Company (CMPort) with the latter holding as much as 70 percent stake.&nbsp;

Wijegunaratne assured of no such action to take place in Sri Lankan harbours and waters

Sri Lanks's southern port, Hambantota, will not be used as a foreign military base, Sri Lankan Army Chief Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne clarified today at the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2018 at the Manekshaw Centre. Wijegunaratne assured of no such action to take place in the Sri Lankan harbours and waters "which would jeopardise India's security concerns." He further reiterated Sri Lanka's stand on not entering into any military alliance with any nation. Sr Lanka will not make its naval bases available to any other countries, the chief added further. The Hambantota port was handed over to China on a 99-year lease. The port will now be co-owned by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and the China Merchants Port Holdings Company (CMPort) with the latter holding as much as 70 percent stake.

Hambantota port will not be used as military base: Lankan Army Chief

China on Tuesday denied as &quot;unnecessary&quot; speculation reports that it was planning to build a military base at Jiwani in Pakistan&#39;s Balochistan province close to the strategic Chabahar port, which is being jointly developed by India, Iran and Afghanistan.

According to reports, Pakistan may allow China to build the military base in Jiwani which is also close the Gwadar port being developed by Beijing.

The Global Times quoted a Washington Times report that China is in talks with Pakistan to build its second overseas military base as part of a push for greater maritime capabilities along strategic sea routes.

&quot;I am not aware of what you mentioned,&quot; Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told the media when asked to comment on the report.

The media in China and abroad said that Pakistan offered the key location to China as a retaliation to US President Donald Trump&#39;s New Year Day criticism of Islamabad for not cracking down on terrorist safe havens in the country.

The Chinese media has been speculating that Trump&#39;s efforts to step up pressure on Pakistan may move it closer to Islamabad as Beijing is involved in a number of projects in the country under the US $50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

&quot;As you know building of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is an important part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI),&quot; Lu said.

&quot;China and Pakistan are also making efforts to build the CPEC which is in the common interests of the countries along the route. I don?t think it is necessary for the outside world to make too many guesses in this regard,&quot; he said.

Chinese analysts said the Jiwani base was not necessary for China at present as it already has Gwadar.

Lin Minwang, a professor at Fudan University&#39;s Centre for South Asian Studies told Global Times that &quot;both Beijing and Islamabad have the ability to build a joint naval and air facility in Pakistan, but it is unnecessary at this time.&quot;

But he said it could be a backup plan for the Indo- Pacific strategy of the US and its allies, he told the daily.

Lin believes if the US and its allies push their Indo- Pacific strategy to the extreme, China will surely carry out a plan with Pakistan to ensure the security of sea routes.

According to reports, China is in talks with Pakistan to build its second overseas military base as part of a push for greater maritime capabilities along strategic sea routes

China on Tuesday denied as "unnecessary" speculation reports that it was planning to build a military base at Jiwani in Pakistan's Balochistan province close to the strategic Chabahar port, which is being jointly developed by India, Iran and Afghanistan. According to reports, Pakistan may allow China to build the military base in Jiwani which is also close the Gwadar port being developed by Beijing. The Global Times quoted a Washington Times report that China is in talks with Pakistan to build its second overseas military base as part of a push for greater maritime capabilities along strategic sea routes. "I am not aware of what you mentioned," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told the media when asked to comment on the report. The media in China and abroad said that Pakistan offered the key location to China as a retaliation to US President Donald Trump's New Year Day criticism of Islamabad for not cracking down on terrorist safe havens in the country. The Chinese media has been speculating that Trump's efforts to step up pressure on Pakistan may move it closer to Islamabad as Beijing is involved in a number of projects in the country under the US $50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). "As you know building of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is an important part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)," Lu said. "China and Pakistan are also making efforts to build the CPEC which is in the common interests of the countries along the route. I don?t think it is necessary for the outside world to make too many guesses in this regard," he said. Chinese analysts said the Jiwani base was not necessary for China at present as it already has Gwadar. Lin Minwang, a professor at Fudan University's Centre for South Asian Studies told Global Times that "both Beijing and Islamabad have the ability to build a joint naval and air facility in Pakistan, but it is unnecessary at this time." But he said it could be a backup plan for the Indo- Pacific strategy of the US and its allies, he told the daily. Lin believes if the US and its allies push their Indo- Pacific strategy to the extreme, China will surely carry out a plan with Pakistan to ensure the security of sea routes.

China denies plans to set up military base in Pakistan

As you move westwards from Gwadar Town on Makran Coastal Highway, after about 55 kilometres, a sign reads to the road leading to Jiwani, a small town with a population of about 22000, surrounded by lush mangroves and pristine beaches where endangered sea creatures like Green Turtles and Olive Ridley come for nesting.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The strategically located town is just 34 kilometres away from the Iranian border, and can significantly control all the movements through the Persian Gulf. The main business is fishing and, hence, there are many small export-oriented fish packaging plants operating here.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The town is located on a small peninsula projecting into the sea and, hence, has a dominating position in the area. This is the reason why Pakistan has created a small naval base, some observation and surveillance facilities with a small 1700-meter runway for the landing of aircrafts.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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The pristine Jiwani beach (Others)
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&nbsp;

Stories tell that it was a major airfield used by the Allied forces during WWII, the traces of which are still found on the coastal town in the form of broken airstrips, traces of broken barracks, a Victoria Hut made probably to host the Queen here. You can find a marvel of the engineering, in the form of an old water storage facility and purification system. These were used in WWII to not only collect rainwater and purify it in various stages but also pump it to the locations up to 5kms away, using a setup of pipelines and small water channels.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

18 December 2017 was just like an ordinary day for the people of Jiwani and the Coast Guard detachment stationed there when a large cavalcade of vehicles approached the place. Such sightings are not common so it piqued the interest of locals. The guests were unique too, 16 senior Chinese military officers and about 10 Pakistani military officers with their support staff. Over next few hours, the entire group visited the small peninsula, its coastline and inspected other infrastructure before returning to Gwadar late in the evening.

&nbsp;

Over the next few days, Pakistani officers were busy signing an agreement with Chinese PLA on constructing a strong Chinese military base at Jiwani where China will invest over $500 million in the form of grants to be given to locals towards their resettlement at some other location. Also, another $230 million will come from the Chinese towards the construction of a military base with an advanced airport to handle all types of cargo. As per the project report, all the residents of Jiwani will be shifted to other towns in Baluchistan after being paid due compensation for their losses.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The String of Pearls is a reality coming up very fast. As recent as last July, China started operating from its newly constructed military base at Djibouti, a strategic town located in the Horn of Africa. The base came up quite fast and, within a year, all the desired constructions and activation of the facilities were completed.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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<div class="media-description">
Jiwani is just 34 kilometres away from the Iranian border. (Others)
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<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Both Djibouti and Jiwani has a striking similarity.&nbsp; Both are located on two most important and strategic oil routes of the world. While Djibouti is located at the mouth of Red Sea and can control the entire movement through the Suez Canal, Jiwani has the potential to control the movement of the entire Persian Gulf. The current presence of a large number of PLA Soldiers and their warlike equipment in Gwadar Port suggests that they are going to operationalise the Jiwani base at the earliest.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Gwadar has a limitation of being the primary port of CPEC; there is a lot of commercial movement and, hence, stationing a large and dedicated military detachment there is not very advisable. That&rsquo;s why China selected the old and trusted base of Jiwani which has all the necessary facets to cater to PLA&rsquo;s interests.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Whether it is Hambantota, Djibouti or Jiwani, China is clever enough to safeguard its interests. It is establishing military bases at all strategic sea routes so that its supplies and exports are uninterrupted. Also, it creates a kind of security pressure on the neighbouring countries, especially India.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

China is stuck up in many conflicts as of now. Whether it is South China Sea, Taiwan, North Korea, Indo- China Border Dispute or Sino- America tug of war, China needs to have military bases located strategically on its supply routes so that it can sustain its export-based economy and ensure uninterrupted supply of oil. It already got some committed allies in Indian Peninsula, namely Pakistan and Sri Lanka who are suffering from a crippling economy and corrupt leadership and, hence, are compelled to dance to its tunes.&nbsp;

These bases also provide support to its One Belt One Road Initiative to ensure that its exports reach the destination safely.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

India has a genuine concern in this scenario. While the establishment of these bases cannot be stopped, it is high time that being the leader of South Asia, India should make a robust plan to counter anything violating its interest.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

China is establishing military bases at all strategic sea routes, including Jiwani in Pakistan. It t creates a kind of security pressure on the neighbouring countries, especially India.

As you move westwards from Gwadar Town on Makran Coastal Highway, after about 55 kilometres, a sign reads to the road leading to Jiwani, a small town with a population of about 22000, surrounded by lush mangroves and pristine beaches where endangered sea creatures like Green Turtles and Olive Ridley come for nesting. The strategically located town is just 34 kilometres away from the Iranian border, and can significantly control all the movements through the Persian Gulf. The main business is fishing and, hence, there are many small export-oriented fish packaging plants operating here. The town is located on a small peninsula projecting into the sea and, hence, has a dominating position in the area. This is the reason why Pakistan has created a small naval base, some observation and surveillance facilities with a small 1700-meter runway for the landing of aircrafts. The pristine Jiwani beach (Others) × Stories tell that it was a major airfield used by the Allied forces during WWII, the traces of which are still found on the coastal town in the form of broken airstrips, traces of broken barracks, a Victoria Hut made probably to host the Queen here. You can find a marvel of the engineering, in the form of an old water storage facility and purification system. These were used in WWII to not only collect rainwater and purify it in various stages but also pump it to the locations up to 5kms away, using a setup of pipelines and small water channels. 18 December 2017 was just like an ordinary day for the people of Jiwani and the Coast Guard detachment stationed there when a large cavalcade of vehicles approached the place. Such sightings are not common so it piqued the interest of locals. The guests were unique too, 16 senior Chinese military officers and about 10 Pakistani military officers with their support staff. Over next few hours, the entire group visited the small peninsula, its coastline and inspected other infrastructure before returning to Gwadar late in the evening. Over the next few days, Pakistani officers were busy signing an agreement with Chinese PLA on constructing a strong Chinese military base at Jiwani where China will invest over $500 million in the form of grants to be given to locals towards their resettlement at some other location. Also, another $230 million will come from the Chinese towards the construction of a military base with an advanced airport to handle all types of cargo. As per the project report, all the residents of Jiwani will be shifted to other towns in Baluchistan after being paid due compensation for their losses. The String of Pearls is a reality coming up very fast. As recent as last July, China started operating from its newly constructed military base at Djibouti, a strategic town located in the Horn of Africa. The base came up quite fast and, within a year, all the desired constructions and activation of the facilities were completed. Jiwani is just 34 kilometres away from the Iranian border. (Others) × Both Djibouti and Jiwani has a striking similarity. Both are located on two most important and strategic oil routes of the world. While Djibouti is located at the mouth of Red Sea and can control the entire movement through the Suez Canal, Jiwani has the potential to control the movement of the entire Persian Gulf. The current presence of a large number of PLA Soldiers and their warlike equipment in Gwadar Port suggests that they are going to operationalise the Jiwani base at the earliest. Gwadar has a limitation of being the primary port of CPEC; there is a lot of commercial movement and, hence, stationing a large and dedicated military detachment there is not very advisable. That’s why China selected the old and trusted base of Jiwani which has all the necessary facets to cater to PLA’s interests. Whether it is Hambantota, Djibouti or Jiwani, China is clever enough to safeguard its interests. It is establishing military bases at all strategic sea routes so that its supplies and exports are uninterrupted. Also, it creates a kind of security pressure on the neighbouring countries, especially India. China is stuck up in many conflicts as of now. Whether it is South China Sea, Taiwan, North Korea, Indo- China Border Dispute or Sino- America tug of war, China needs to have military bases located strategically on its supply routes so that it can sustain its export-based economy and ensure uninterrupted supply of oil. It already got some committed allies in Indian Peninsula, namely Pakistan and Sri Lanka who are suffering from a crippling economy and corrupt leadership and, hence, are compelled to dance to its tunes. These bases also provide support to its One Belt One Road Initiative to ensure that its exports reach the destination safely. India has a genuine concern in this scenario. While the establishment of these bases cannot be stopped, it is high time that being the leader of South Asia, India should make a robust plan to counter anything violating its interest. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion: China's first military base in Pakistan is grave threat to India

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