NEW DELHI: India continues to pressure China to act responsibly in the South China Sea (SCS), and the government expressed concern about the East Asia Summit on actions and incidents that “erode confidence in the region.” In participating in the summit, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar reiterated India’s position that the Code of Conduct negotiations should not be detrimental to the legitimate interests of third parties and should be fully consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Child. Sea (UNCLOS).
The SCS security situation had arisen earlier at the India-Asean summit also where PM Modi and all Leaders of the asean noted the importance of promoting a rules-based order in the region, including through the defense of adherence to international law, especially UNCLOS. According to a statement from India, Jaishankar noted the growing interest in the Indo-Pacific as an integrated and organic maritime space, with Asean at its center. “He appreciates the synergy between Asean Outlook and India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative. India was equally positive about the Indo-Pacific policies recently announced by other nations. Harmonizing multiple perspectives would never be a challenge if there is a commitment to International cooperation“The statement said.
“He also underscored the need for greater international cooperation in the post-Covid world to address challenges that cross national borders, such as terrorism, climate change, and pandemics,” he added. The government said leaders underscored the importance of cooperation to ensure safe and affordable access to Covid-19 vaccines. The summit was chaired by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
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