BEIJING: India has launched a naval diplomacy campaign to garner support from Australia, Japan and Vietnam for countering China's maritime expansion into the Indian Ocean, a Chinese official daily said today.

State-run Global Times in its report on Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sahyadri's visit to Vietnam's port city Da Nang and Japan, said, "Vietnam and Japan are currently embroiled in territorial disputes with China in the South China and East China seas, respectively, and are very willing to partner with India to form diplomatic and security ties under the threat of Chinese maritime expansion."

"The three nations together would be able to form a coalition that could surround China from both the northern and southern regions of the Indian Ocean," it said.

As part of India's Look East and Act East Policy, indigenously built multi-role stealth frigate INS Sahyadri entered Vietnam's port city Da Nang on October 2 for a four-day visit.

The visit of INS Sahyadri was aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and enhancing inter-operational abilities between navies of India and Vietnam.