- Prelims: Current events of national and international importance(indo-pacific, India-Japan relations, South China Sea etc
- Mains GS Paper II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings involving India or affecting India’s interests, Significance of Indo-Pacific for India etc
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
- India’s External Affairs Minister articulated, in a joint statement during his visit to Manila, India’s full support for the Philippines in upholding its national sovereignty.
- A joint statement in 2023 between India and Philippines had called for China to adhere to the rules-based maritime order and acknowledge the International Court of Justice ruling of 2016 in favor of Manila.
INSIGHTS ON THE ISSUE
Context
South China Sea:
- An arm of the western Pacific Ocean that borders the Southeast Asian mainland.
- Bordered by Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
- It is connected by the Taiwan Strait with the East China Sea and by the Luzon Strait with the Philippine Sea (both marginal seas of the Pacific Ocean).
- It Comprises three archipelagos, namely, the Spratly Islands, Paracel Islands, Pratas Islands and Macclesfield’s Bank and Scarborough Shoal.
Dispute:
- China’s Nine Dash Line: Defines area claimed by China – by far the largest portion of the Sea.
- Scarborough Shoal: Claimed both by the Philippines and China (known as Huangyan Island in China).
- Spratlys: Occupied by claimants, which consist of Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, China and Malaysia.
- Paracel Islands: Subject of overlapping claims by China, Vietnam and Taiwan.
- Island Chain Strategy: A geographical security concept crafted by the United States in the 1940s to deter China and the Soviet Union’s maritime ambitions.
A policy evolution in India:
● India’s engagement with the region was initially primarily economic, driven by its Look East Policy which aimed to:
○ enhance economic integration with Southeast Asia
○ secure energy resources to fuel its growing economy.
● The participation of Indian state-owned enterprises, such as the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation’s overseas arm (ONGC Videsh), in oil and gas exploration projects in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zones (EEZs) signifies:
○ India’s economic stakes in the region
○ Support for the principle of freedom of exploration and exploitation of maritime resources within the bounds of international law(specifically UNCLOS).
- The transformation of India’s policy orientation from Look East to Act East under Narendra Modi’s administration:
- It has marked a shift towards a more strategic and active engagement with the Indo-Pacific region.
- It reflects India’s acknowledgment of the changing geopolitical landscape
- Need for a more proactive and multifaceted foreign policy approach.
- Act East Policy emphasizes economic integration and strategic partnerships.
- expanded security cooperation with countries in the Indo-Pacific including Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore, besides the Philippines.
- India has strengthened its own capacities through forward positioning, mission-based deployments, reinforced maritime domain awareness, and deep-water maritime facilities.
India’s ties with China:
- The evolution of India’s position on the South China Sea cannot be decoupled from its complex relationship with China.
- India and China have a long history of border disputes which have intensified since the Galwan Valley incident of 2020
- China’s periodic incursions into India’s territory and even renaming Indian villages in Arunachal Pradesh.
Developments between India and Philippines:
- The decision to open the resident defense attaché office in Manila
- Boosting cooperation between the Coast Guards of the two countries
- Acquisition of naval assets by Manila under a concessional line of credit from Delhi
- Expansion of training and joint exercises on maritime security and disaster responses
- Commencing a maritime dialogue
- Agreement on regional and multilateral issues, particularly on maritime highways such as the South China Sea.
India’s position on South China sea dispute:
- It adhered to international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
- India’s call to respect the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea is a departure from India’s earlier position.
- From ‘noted’ to ‘adherence to the 2016 Arbitral Award’ is a candid recognition of its legitimacy.
Way Forward
- India’s strategic recalibration has been driven by a recognition of the South China Sea’s critical importance to regional security and the global maritime order.
- The disputes in the South China Sea, primarily involving China and several Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, have implications for the freedom of navigation and overflight
- The principles are vital for India’s trade and energy transportation routes and that of countries across the globe.
- The ASEAN centrality in India’s Indo-Pacific strategy makes it imperative for India to buttress the ASEAN position, though differences within the regional grouping continue to pose a challenge to such endeavors.
- India’s advocacy for a rules-based international maritime order, especially its emphasis on UNCLOS
- It reflects a stance against unilateral actions that threaten regional stability.
- India’s principled foreign policy approach indirectly challenges China’s expansive territorial claims and activities in the South China Sea
- It reflects India’s positioning of itself as a responsible stakeholder committed to regional stability and security.
- India’s nuanced approach in the South China Sea is emblematic of its broader strategy aiming to safeguard its interests while contributing to a collective effort to maintain peace, stability, and respect for international law in the Indo-Pacific region.
QUESTION FOR PRACTICE
Evaluate the economic and strategic dimensions of India’s Look East Policy in the context of the post Cold War international scenario.(UPSC 2016) (200 WORDS, 10 MARKS)
