New Delhi: Indian Navy commanders meting in their annual conference beginning on Wednesday in Mumbai are likely to discuss China's deployment of nuclear submarines at Hainan Island, close to the Indian Ocean region.

"With the Indian Navy not having a nuclear submarine, the development (China's deployment of nuclear submarines) has become an issue of concern and the matter is likely to be discussed at the conference, which is the highest decision-making body of the navy," a Navy official said.

China has deployed nuclear submarines at an underground base at Hainan Island, nearly 1200 nautical miles away from the Strait of Malacca, an entry to the Indian Ocean region.

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta told reporters here on Monday that the growing number of China's nuclear submarines is a "matter of concern".

The two-day conference would be held at the Western Naval Command Headquarters at Mumbai on May 7. The conference would be inaugurated by Admiral Mehta and would be attended by top officials of the navy from the Integrated Headquarters at New Delhi, three command headquarters and two fleets.

"Over the last decade, the maritime security environment in the Indian Ocean region has become more complex, fluid and significantly more volatile," an official statement said.

Source : IANS