dailyO
Politics

India ticks off China at ASEAN summit over South China Sea

Advertisement
Rajeev Sharma
Rajeev SharmaNov 21, 2015 | 19:56

India ticks off China at ASEAN summit over South China Sea

India continues to speak its mind boldly on the issue of freedom of navigation in South China Sea (SCS) at different international platforms which amounts to ticking off the Dragon.

On November 21, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a direct reference to the SCS issue in his address at the 13th India-ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur, something that would rile China no end. Sample his following remarks.

Advertisement

“India shares with ASEAN a commitment to freedom of navigation, over flight and unimpeded commerce, in accordance with accepted principles of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Territorial disputes must be settled through peaceful means. India hopes that all parties to the disputes in the South China Sea will abide by the guidelines on the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and redouble efforts for early adoption of a Code of Conduct on the basis of consensus.”

This is a direct and unambiguous message to China which indicates the Modi government is not fighting shy in speaking its mind about China. It is a welcome trend by the Modi government which is in sharp contrast to cautious approach by the previous UPA government with regard to China.

It was in October 2014 when the Modi government had signalled its willingness to dovetail its policy over the SCS issue with the United States and China-wary powers like Japan, Philippines and Vietnam during Modi's visit to the US and his summit meeting with US President Barack Obama. Then the Indo-US joint statement had for the first time specifically referred to the SCS issue.

Advertisement

Later in January this year when India had hosted Obama, India and the US had issued a separate statement on the SCS issue – another first – and China had promptly come up with a sharp reaction. The two sides had issued a “US-India Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region” wherein they had underlined “the importance of safeguarding maritime security and ensuring freedom of navigation and over flight throughout the region, especially in the South China Sea.”

Last month, India had again ticked off China during the 3rd meeting of the India-Phillippines joint commission meeting in New Delhi after which a joint statement referred to South China Sea as “West Philippines Sea”, a term Manila has started using since China upped its ante on the SCS issue. The Indian position implied its support for the Philippines' case against China in Permanent Court of Arbitration, a kind of diplomatic tit-for-tat by India for China’s open support to Pakistan on the Kashmir issue. Interestingly, China has boycotted the Arbitral Tribunal’s proceedings which in itself conveys a lot about its territorial dispute with the Philippines.

The above narrative shows that the Modi government has steadily hardened its stance vis a vis China over an issue which is the topmost strategic imperative for Beijing: the SCS issue. It is a welcome departure from the rather soft approach of the UPA towards Beijing.

Advertisement

But what is a matter of even greater surprise is that China has thus far not retaliated in a big way against the Modi-led India. Does it mean China has reconciled itself with India’s hardened stance and decided to ignore it or whether Beijing is weighing various strategic pros and cons before it comes back hard at India?

No one knows for sure. Time will tell. And that time may not be far off.

Last updated: November 21, 2015 | 19:56
IN THIS STORY
Please log in
I agree with DailyO's privacy policy