The South China Sea’s sea strategic location and availability of natural resources makes it an important area. The major reason for conflict in the area is the trade route which is significant to India, China, the US and Japan. The control and access to the resources of the sea are the major reasons for dispute. Geopolitics is affecting the conflict for global power between major nations. The paper focuses on understanding India’s strategic drive and involvement in the dispute. India is slowly enhancing its strategic drive and Naval capabilities in the area and increasing its involvement. India is growing its maritime interest and cooperation with the regional nations. On the other hand, China has also created its dominance in the region with a strong position. Whereas India aims to become a major player, China does not consider India’s Naval advancement. This study focuses on India’s interest and what steps has India taken to increase its presence in the region and counter China.
Introduction
The South China Sea has been witnessing rival tensions in recent times. The major reasons for this tension and balance of power are transformation in the Asian region and Indo-China rivalry. The territorial and maritime dispute regarding the South China Sea continues to be unresolved. The history dates back to the 1970s when the conflict involved China and South Asian countries, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Brunei, Philippines. India’s engagement in the region initially was economic, driven by its Look East policy, aiming at enhanced economic integration with Southeast Asia and securing energy resources for the growing economy. But in pursuit of energy security and global governance, both China and India have shifted their focus to sea routes, emphasizing on South China Sea. India’s maritime sphere aims to generate 250$ billion by 2024. Identification of the SCS in India’s Maritime strategy as a crucial area of interest as “blue water”. The important trade route from Malacca to the SCS contributes to 55% of India’s trade.
The tensions in the South China Sea have been growing and China has increased its dominance to solidify its jurisdictional claims. There is regional as well as international navies interest in the SCS because of its global commerce significance. The SCS holds its importance with the availability of energy resources for economic development, and marine life impacting food and human security (Scholfield,2009).
The period from 2013 to 16 witnessed changing scenarios at the SCS, such as artificial island construction, defensive walls against the naturally existing maritime features, and military establishments, which even escalated the tensions. India holds economic, diplomatic as well as strategic interests in the SCS. India maintained a neutral approach for the same, but after the Galwan Valley clash in 2020 between Indian and Chinese troops India’s stance on the matter took a shift, which India stated in the 15th East Asia Summit held in November 2020 highlighting adherence to the Convention on the Law of Sea (UNCLOS). India’s eagerness to play as a prominent player in the SCS may help in curtailing the disputes in the region.
Research Questions
This paper will proceed with the aim to address the following research questions-
- What are India’s strategic initiatives in the South China Sea?
- What is India’s relations with the participating nations?
- Why India is Intervening in the SCS dispute?
India’s Strategies in the South China Sea
The strategic interest of India in SCS has been shaped to be a balancing one regarding the increasing rivalry. China has been extensively growing its operations in the SCS which has prompted India to step up its involvement. India aims to build strong relationships with ASEAN nations which is reflected in its stand on the territorial disputes in the area. Declaring the recognition of India’s role in enhancing maritime cooperation and regional stability for achieving common goals and tackling challenges. India’s Active naval actions in South China are a clear demonstration of its diplomatic ties with the other regional nations involved. To counter Chinese naval activities in the disputed area India has sent various warships. The Month of May saw India’s participation in the inaugural ASEAN-India Maritime exercise (AIME 2023) that was held from the 2nd of May to the 8th of May, 2023 in the SCS. (Bhatt,2023). Indigenous built ships namely Ins Satpura and INS Delhi, from the Eastern Military Naval Command participation was also seen in the two-phased exercise. Joint Military exercises by the Indian Navy namely Singapore-India Bilateral Maritime Exercises (SIMBEX) with the US navies sailing along, Japan, and the Philippines is to showcase the common mission and dictate presence in the South China Sea. (Shah, 2021).
India’s diplomatic and economic ties with the other member nations clearly state its strategy in the SCS, with the Look East Policy along. India’s strong bilateral ties, regarding energy resources, trade, and economic activities hold up to its strategy in the SCS. India aims to establish itself as a strong regional leader and fulfil its responsibilities in resolving disputes.
India’s Contribution and Partnership
India’s past experiences with China have made its trust a backstep. To establish its presence in the SCS India is strengthening its ties with regional players, such as the US. The deployment of ships, a guided missile destroyer and a missile frigate, for two months by the Indian Navy in Southeast East Asia, Western Pacific and the SCS.
In 2016, the arbitral tribunal’s ruling was announced and initiated by the Philippines in regards to China’s actions in the South China Sea where India only observed and took it as a note. This stand was a clear indication of staying neutral as China had been consistently rejecting any kind of award to be illegal and also decided to not recognize the tribunal ruling. But before that, there was a change in India’s stand in 2020 where India stood together with the Philippines to establish the need for peaceful co-existence and following of international laws. India’s stand was also considered for the first time as abiding by the award and taking a different stand than being neutral.
The Indian Navy conducted joint exercises with Japan, the US, and the Philippines in the South China Sea in the year 2019. India a year later held exercises with the Navies of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Australia, and Indonesia. A two-day joint exercise in the South China Sea was conducted in 2023 with the navies of the ASEAN nations where India sent warships for the first time.
India has also Increased military assistance and sales to the Philippines and Vietnam. A deal to export 100 Brahmos Supersonic anti-ship missiles was made between India and the Philippines. Later in 2023, India sent a completely operational light missile to Vietnam.
Indian Ocean and India’s influence
“The fundamental factors triggering India’s dominance in the SCS are the assertiveness of China in the contested sea along with fostering strategic weight of the Indo-Pacific region. Beijing’s hegemonic ambition provoked India to safeguard its interests at any cost. India’s major aspirations in the SCS are advanced commercial linkages with other Southeast Asian states, freedom of navigation, and consolidation of order which will be rule-based in the region. In addition, India is looking at the growing importance of becoming a regional power in the Indo-Pacific region by conducting naval exercises with Singapore in the South China Sea, 2019).” The growing Chinese military and commercial activities in the Indian Ocean region have been identified by India. It has taken steps to confine China’s strategic positioning. Mentioning China, the Indian Navy’s spokesperson said in the Straits Times that the Indian Navy would initially unusually deploy to the region.
But the dynamics have changed, and this has led us to step up our presence in the region because of the growing influence of foreign powers. Through Strategic Cooperation and Logistics Agreements with the US and France, India has forged alliances with external powers in the Indian Ocean Region IOR. The US has Through the Quadrilateral, it has strengthened its relations with India. Australia and Japan are included in the Security DialogueQUAD. India’s increasing presence and influence in the IOR is evident in its Participation in the exercises with other States. For instance, in 2018, India engaged in the “Milan” multilateral naval exercises with 16 other countries in the Nicobar and Andaman Islands to enhance its naval capabilities. The Indian Ocean Region has become an area of intense geopolitical competition, with China already establishing strategic military bases in the region. India has recognised the importance of engaging with countries in the region and has made In this respect, some progress has been made. However, without investing in, Asia Pacific military capabilities, particularly its navy, India’s vision of a “safe, free, and open Indo-Pacific” will not be realised. China’s remarkable economic growth has allowed it to exploit its military more effectively, strengthening its diplomatic and political influence in the Indo-Pacific region which led to the establishment of a new quadrilateral. The US under the umbrella of the Quad is embarking on a journey to thwart China’s greater presence in the Indo-Pacific.
Moreover, U.S. officials in the administration of President Donald Trump have declared that the U.S. and India are at peace. It wasn’t just the two biggest democracies in the world, it was also theirs. For other countries, democratic values have an impact. By and large, Quad was an inclusive group that wanted to be open. Welcoming other democratic countries in this area. To China, Japan shares intelligence with India and Australia. India is determined to lower China’s rise in the Indo-Pacific region through a Quad. The Quad appears to be a strong platform for New Delhi to oppose China’s robust Belt and Road Initiative (Bri). The Indian government’s concern over the growing influence of China in the South China Sea led them to take proactive steps to improve their capabilities in the Indian Ocean, including the procurement of Guardian drones. According to Harsh Pant, head of the strategic studies program at the Observer Research Foundation, India has The most sophisticated maritime reconnaissance and has previously acquired drones around the world to monitor Chinese warships’ activities in the South China Sea. (Barrech, 2023).
Evolution and Solutions
India, despite the current security calculus, should increase its engagement in the sea lanes of the South China Sea for strategic purposes. India’s reasons for being present in the far-off seas are not unique to other countries or new. For reasons of peace, International Maritime Law UNCLOS grants freedom of navigation and overflight rights to all countries in the High Seas, EEZs and Territorial waters of neighbouring States. Since the 1960s, India has been calling on its southern neighbours for port calls. Lately, the Indian Navy has made friendly visits to far-off African and Latin American countries that have shown their diplomatic approach as well as the navies’ ability to penetrate deep ocean waters. India’s cooperation with Pacific Island countries is also improving and expanding its view of the sea.
There are over 80 % of India’s trade dependent on sea links. While the government’s 2015 figure of more than 55 % of shipments through SCS waters needs to be revised, India is finding synergies with Japan, South Korea and ASEAN as well as China in terms of market and trade. In India’s interest, the protection of commercial vessels against piracy and trafficking in Southeast Asian waters is important. The need for resilient supply chain mechanisms has been further encouraged by the postVIDCO scenario. In addition, the two countries are jointly exploring other maritime resources such as oil exploration blocks 127 and 128 on Vietnam’s coast. Finally, India stands firmly on the principle that freedom, openness and inclusion should be a priority for its use of global commons including maritime areas. It also commits to a fair maritime order in which disputes can be resolved peacefully. Though New Delhi has yet to overtly show its position on the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) 2016 verdict on the South China Sea, it has repeatedly reiterated its support for international laws and UNCLOS to govern a rules-based order in the maritime domain. In 1995, India became a signatory to the UNCLOS Treaty and ratified it. India must commit its resources to its vision of the maritime domain beyond the Indian Ocean if it is to become a credible power. The waters of the eastern seaboard should also be seen from that angle, as it has increased its maritime cooperation with western neighbours. Such an initiative Under Act East, Neighbourhood First and Security and Growth for All in the Region SAGAR policies also coincide with India’s approach to its Eastern neighbours. The centrality of the ASEAN region, as well as multilateral frameworks in the region, is crucial to India’s approach. (Bhatt, 2023).
Why is India Getting Involved in the SCS?
For India, the gateway to the Indian Ocean is the South East Asia. Navigation freedom, strategic interest, and oil and gas resources are the major three factors of India’s increasing interest in the SCS, and to fulfil this interest South East Asia acts as a gateway to the Indian Ocean. India is worried that the increasing tensions in the South China Sea will curtail its dominance in the Indian Ocean, so India is trying to increase its presence in the SCS.
The transformation of India from the Look East policy to the Act East policy in the current government regime has resulted in escalated engagement and active participation in the Indo-Pacific region. This Shift is an indication of India’s understanding of the changing geopolitical landscape and a need for having a multifaceted economic integration along with partnership and cooperation with the players in Indo-Pacific.
The Malacca Strait as a major trade route for free and secure navigation in the SCS is a key factor in India’s trade security and this is yet another reason for India’s intervention in the SCS dispute, despite the fact India not have a direct dispute with China or ASEAN nations. The United States factor is another reason for India’s involvement in the dispute. Both nations as major pillars of QUAD share a common interest aiming at world order.
India being the major stakeholder in the Indo-Pacific has the responsibility to specify its positions in the matter. India’s periphery is not just the Indian Ocean but also areas of importance where China is increasing its power. Also, the fact that ASEAN is a central player in the Indo-Pacific strategy makes it compulsory for India to enhance ASEAN’s position through different ways of regional grouping.
Conclusion
The significance of ŚCS for India relies upon major factors such as the rich resources, trade route, oil and gas etc. crucial for the economic development of India. The South China Sea’s communication channel and its impact on regional geopolitics even adds to the Interest of India. India upholds peaceful co-existence, cooperation, and adherence to international law for freedom of navigation. India’s relations with the participating nations add to India’s involvement in the dispute.
India’s recognition of the cooperation with ASEAN nations in resolving the dispute and maintaining its security. One cannot deny the fact that the India-China power struggle will have an impact if India establishes its importance in the SCS. China’s involvement in the Indian Ocean is not only a challenge for India but China too as the security of both nations is involved. India continues to boost its trade and maritime activities in the region along with maintaining friendly relations with other nations involved. The involvement of India in the Indo-Pacific region is appreciated by ASEAN nations which consider India a counter to China. SCS is a conflicting area between different nations in the struggle for global power.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government of India and Defence Research and Studies
Title image courtesy: https://www.jammukashmirnow.com/
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