India Objects To Proposed Clause On Military Drills In Asean Code

17 Nov 2020

SOUTH CHINA SEA (July 6, 2020) Aircraft from Carrier Air Wing 5 and Carrier Air Wing 17 fly in formation over the Nimitz Carrier Strike Force (CSF). The USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) Carrier Strike Groups are conducting dual carrier operations in the Indo-Pacific as the Nimitz CSF. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Keenan Daniels/Released)

India has expressed its reservations against China’s latest move to push the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) to insert certain clauses in the proposed Code of Conduct on South China Sea (SCS) which could eventually bar India and others from either conducting joint military drills with SE Asian states or extract natural resources from the region.

The negotiation for the Code “should not be prejudicial to the legitimate interests of the third parties and should be fully consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)”, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said while representing Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 15th East Asia Summit held on Saturday.

At the 2 + 2 Ministerial meet last month, India and the United States emphasised that the proposed Code should not prejudice the legitimate rights and interests of any nation in accordance with international law.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang represented China in the Summit. He also attended the Asean-China summit on Friday and urged leaders of the South East Asian nations to expedite negotiations for the proposed Code.

Chinese proposals for the Code aim to limit the role of external powers, including India in the SCS region.

Courtesy: Opera News/ET