Sandeep Dikshit
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 1

India has refrained from entering the ongoing spat between China and Vietnam over exploration of energy resources in maritime areas claimed by both countries in the South China Sea.

Although China had sank nearly 21 Vietnamese boats in their previous quarrel over oil exploration rights in 2014, this time a Chinese survey ship and accompanying vessels have been accused of violating Hanoi’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

Sources pointed out that the Vietnamese diplomatic outreach, which included briefing the Indian side earlier this week, centered on a three-page note that had only a paragraph on Indian and Russian interests in the maritime area that is also claimed by China. Even in this one paragraph, there was only a passing mention about the two countries.

Officially, India has maintained a position that is close but without the aggression and specificity of American stance. The US State Department had last week said China’s “repeated provocative actions aimed at the offshore oil and gas development of other claimant states threaten regional energy security and undermine the free and open Indo-Pacific energy market”.

It had also said “China’s reclamation and militarisation of disputed outposts, along with other efforts to assert its unlawful maritime claims, including the use of maritime militia to intimidate and threaten other nations, undermine the peace and security of the region”.

On the other hand, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar today said there was no change in India’s position and referred to India’s previously articulated position on the issue. He also said he was not aware the Chinese movement of vessels had not led to any stoppage of exploration activity by India and Russia. “Our position is clear. We stick to the position to the best of my knowledge,” he added.