Recent satellite imagery indicates that China has converted a medium cargo ship into a modular drone catapult carrier, featuring an electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) for deploying advanced combat drones alongside missile defenses. This transformation highlights China’s strategy to utilize its civilian merchant fleet for military applications, enhancing its naval capabilities in the contested Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions. The implications for India are significant, as this dual-use approach threatens regional maritime security and necessitates improved maritime domain awareness and counter-drone strategies by the Indian Navy to protect national interests against escalating Chinese expansionism.