Authorities in Indonesia have reported the discovery of small "torpedo-like" object in the waters near the Lombok Strait, which connects the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
The object, which measures 3.7 metres long and 65 centimetres wide, was found by a local fisherman in the waters off West Nusa Tenggara province.
A navy spokesperson said an extensive examination is now being undertaken to confirm the object's functions and origin, as well as to see whether it had been used to collect data.
An initial examination by police in West Nusa Tenggara revealed that the object had no installed explosives or radioactive material.
According to Indonesian media, lettering stenciled on the object suggested that it may be a drone built by a Chinese company for the purpose of measuring the speeds of underwater currents.
Another suspected Chinese-made drone had also been discovered in Indonesian waters in 2021. The Indonesian military said that the object discovered earlier may have been used for oceanographic purposes.
Sightings of suspected Chinese-made underwater drones have also been reported in the Philippines over the last few years. Philippine military officials said three such recovered drones were confirmed via forensic analysis as having Chinese markings.