India has reiterated its support for freedom of navigation and unimpeded commerce in the South China Sea, backing a 2016 international arbitral tribunal ruling that rejected China's extensive territorial claims. This stance aligns with a recent joint statement by the US, UK, and other nations, emphasising peaceful resolution of maritime disputes under UNCLOS.
China calls the shoal Huangyan Dao. China has already deployed some of its biggest CCG vessels in the area to assert its claims.
China on Wednesday reacted strongly to the Quad Ministerial meeting that voiced serious concerns over the situation in the East and South China Sea, saying they should stop meddling in maritime affairs in its neighbourhood.
China's national observatory issued a red alert -- the highest level in the country's typhoon warning system -- as Typhoon Dolphin hit Zhejiang province on the eastern coast on Sunday afternoon.
India and Japan have signed a Memorandum of Arrangement on maritime security cooperation, committing to deepen defence ties and oppose unilateral actions that impede freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific, a move seen as directed at China's increasing military presence.
China on Monday successfully test-fired a long-range strategic missile from one of its nuclear-powered submarines in the Pacific Ocean, drawing sharp reactions from Japan and Australia.
If Iran and Oman choose to charge a fee for rendering services to vessels using their territorial waters, so be it. The US is indulging in an irrationally self-destructive act, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Bangladesh-China and Bangladesh-US relations have evolved from reluctant engagement to increasingly consequential strategic partnerships.
The captain of the Pakistani naval ship was overconfident, reckless and professionally incompetent. He displayed false bravado and by his actions would have caused grievous injuries to his men onboard and severely damaged the ship. On the other hand the captain of INS Kolkata maintained his cool, composure, displayed excellent seamanship skills and maintained his course and speed to avoid a major catastrophe. Comparison of the two captains shows the levels in professional competence of the two navies which are miles apart, points out Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
Gwadar is viewed as a critical pearl in China's maritime strategy as it would give a permanent logistical footprint near an important choke point - the Strait of Hormuz and the oil rich Persian Gulf, explains Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
The visit is part of the "Op Deployment of #IndianNavy's @IN_EasternFleet to the #SouthChinaSea," it said, amidst China flexing its muscles in the South China Sea.
One of the important topics of discussion between the two leaders is expected to be the Northern Sea Route and the Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime Corridor.
Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed the BRICS summit, urging the bloc to play a significant role in achieving peace and tranquillity in West Asia and the Gulf region. He highlighted BRICS' growth over two decades, its efforts in tackling global challenges, and its steadfastness in safeguarding the interests of the Global South. Xi called for opposing the Cold War mentality, strengthening multilateralism, and promoting cooperation in emerging domains like AI, as China prepares to chair the next summit.
There have been growing global concerns over China's sweeping claims of sovereignty over all of the South China Sea, a huge source of hydrocarbons.
In response to the Quad ministers' joint statement, China on Tuesday said it opposes the creation of exclusive 'small cliques' and 'bloc confrontation'.
New Delhi was told it had given something up; in reality it had stopped talking about it, notes Dr Abhishek Puri.
China released a white paper against the UN-backed tribunal's verdict, insisting that Beijing has claims over the strategic region for 2,000 years.
I had found spending one night at 14,500 feet inside a cottage difficult to get by -- struggling to breathe in the cold, thin, mountain air. Here, our soldiers had fought a ferocious battle at much greater heights in bone-chilling weather, worse than I had encountered. 114 men were killed in action in a 16-hour epic battle against China in Rezang La, the farthest outpost along India's border with China.
The Philippines Navy this month alleged that the Chinese ships used water cannons to attack its ships.
For India, China's Indian Ocean power projection, maritime domain awareness, dual-use ports, underwater surveillance, antisubmarinewarfare, naval exercises with Pakistan, pose considerable pressure, depleted India's strategic depth and marginalises Indian role, points out Srikanth Kondapalli.
The highlight of the successful BRICS Summit was its ability to deliver a joint statement that all members, including Iran and the United Arab Emirates, embroiled in the war in West Asia, signed.
Beijing clearly intends to extend the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor to Bangladesh as part of its larger Maritime Belt and Road Initiative to boost its Indian Ocean presence.
Any military response to a cross-border terror attack from Pakistan will have to take into account the new alignments beginning to take shape in the region, points out former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
China will build its first long-term underwater observation platform in resource-rich South China Sea, where it has territorial disputes with many south-east Asian countries including Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
The Quad grouping has expanded cooperation in critical minerals and energy, while unveiling new measures to boost maritime surveillance and port infrastructure across the Indo-Pacific. This move comes against the backdrop of China's growing military posturing in the region, with ministers reiterating strong opposition to destabilising actions and expressing serious concerns over militarisation of disputed features.
The question for the next 20 years is not whether India can become a $5 trillion or $10 trillion economy. Those are attractive targets, but the real question is whether India can create enough productive jobs, educate its children properly, make its cities liveable, and give hundreds of millions of people a substantially better life, asserts Ramesh Menon.
'China, which had earlier blockaded New Delhi's bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group by citing the nuclear non-proliferation law, finds itself in an awkward position and international isolation.' 'India needs to pursue a policy of mediation between China and the Southeast Asian countries for regional security,' says Srikanth Kondapalli.
'It appears to be a combination: A glacier breaking away, and a dam-like formation downstream reaching capacity and releasing water suddenly.'
Usha Vedasalam completed the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra just a week before the devastating floods in Nepal. This is her account of the pilgrimage.
In a setback for China, an international arbitration court ruled that it has jurisdiction to hear some territorial claims the Philippines has filed against it over disputed areas in the South China Sea, a ruling rejected by China as null and void.
Hangors are effectively 'dead-on-arrival' with Pakistanis saddled with deadweights that displace around 3,000 tons. Last time it was near Vishakhapatnam. This time, barnacles will clog the Hangors in Karachi port itself, points out Dr Abhishek Puri.
Japan is deepening its defence relationship with India while simultaneously expanding its economic, infrastructure and security engagement with countries around India -- particularly Bangladesh. The result is an emerging Japanese conception of South Asia in which India remains the strategic anchor, but the geography surrounding India is becoming increasingly important, points out Varun Arya.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Indonesian parliament, emphasising India's commitment to development over expansionism and advocating for a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific. He highlighted the strong historical ties between India and Indonesia, calling for enhanced cooperation in various sectors, including defence, technology, and counter-terrorism, amidst growing concerns over regional security.
'The valley is around 16 km from the Nepal border, and it took just 8-10 minutes for the ice and rocks to reach the Nepal border. You can imagine how fast it must have travelled!'
Vietnam is an emerging regional power and a closer relationship with Hanoi is closely aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Act East Policy, points out Dr Rajaram Panda.
The Beijing summit may have reduced immediate diplomatic uncertainty, but it did not resolve the deeper structural contest between the United States and China. That contest appears likely to define the coming decade, notes Varun Arya.
A parliamentary panel has strongly recommended that the Indian government appoint a dedicated 'polar ambassador' to enhance its strategic engagement and diplomatic influence in the critical Arctic and Antarctic regions, aligning with global trends and India's growing focus on polar affairs.
The MV Ocean Winner sank within about eight minutes with 24 crew aboard; experts say excess moisture in its iron ore fines cargo may have caused liquefaction.
'After a strategic pause though, Beijing will revive its policy of slowly creeping towards acquiring sovereignty over the South China Sea.'
The B-1B Lancer bombers from Guam airbase flew over South China Sea on late Thursday as part of operations intended to demonstrate the US commitment to freedom of navigation, the US Air Force said in a statement.
