Now, India reveals spotting 'flying object' above crucial island chain
What's the story
Weeks after the United States downed a suspected Chinese spy balloon, Indian officials have revealed that locals in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, too, reported seeing a similar, unusual "flying object" last year. Following the US's spy allegations, Indian officials are reportedly reviewing the 2022 incident and developing protocols to improve their ability to detect similar threats and respond more quickly in the future.
Context
Why does this story matter?
While the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are not particularly lucrative in terms of commerce or population, they enjoy a sought-after strategic position that may be of interest to the foreign intelligentsia. The islands, close to India's missile testing areas, connect the Bay of Bengal to the broader Indo-Pacific through the Malacca Strait, making it one of the world's busiest and most important trade routes.
Object
Object slipped past numerous Indian radar systems
According to multiple officials with knowledge of the situation, the flying object appeared suddenly over the strategic island chain, slipping past numerous Indian radar systems along the way, last year, reported Bloomberg. The balloon then drifted southwest into the ocean before authorities could determine its origin and decide whether to bring it down, the officials said.
Locals
'Unaware' locals took pictures of object, posted on social media
At the time, no one knew what the flying object was, as locals ventured outside and took photos of it that appeared on social media. Andaman Sheekha described it as a "white sphere-shaped object, looking somewhat like a weather balloon" in its January 2022 report. India Meteorological Department (IMD) sources, however, clarified it wasn't a weather balloon, and they didn't know what it was.
G20
India, which hosts G20 this year, yet to comment
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Navy, and the Air force did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the object, Bloomberg reported. It is worth noting that India will be hosting the G20 Summit this year and, therefore, probably wants to avoid causing diplomatic rifts as it works to achieve goals such as reducing developing countries' debt burdens.
Similar incidents
Similar object sightings were reported in US, other countries
Prior to the revelation of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands incident, the United States shot down multiple alleged Chinese surveillance balloons flying in its airspace earlier this month. Taiwan, Colombia, and Costa Rica also reported similar sightings. But in an unexpected turn of events, China's Foreign Ministry claimed that the US had also violated its airspace with over 10 high-altitude balloons since January 2022.