India, US to discuss South China Sea situation

NEW DELHI: India and the US are likely to discuss China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea during US defence secretary Ashton Carter’s maiden visit to New Delhi, beginning June 2.

Defence minister Manohar Parrikar and Carter will also ink a significant pact to deepen defence cooperation in several security-related areas. The two countries will renew the 2005 India-US Defence Framework Agreement, which was agreed to during President Barack Obama’s visit to India in January.

The situation in South China Sea will be an important item on the agenda, a source said. China had last week released a white paper on defence, setting out a bigger role for its maritime forces far away from its shores.

Beijing’s aggressive posturing in the South China Sea has shifted global attention to the Asia-Pacific region. China is locked in maritime disputes with several countries that claim parts of the sea.

PM Narendra Modi and Obama had talked about a new vision for Asia Pacific during the latter’s visit in January, with both sides stressing on safeguarding maritime security and ensuring freedom of navigation and over flight throughout the region, especially in the South China Sea.

A news agency quoted Carter as saying “with its actions in the South China Sea, China is out of step with both the international rules and norms” while speaking at the annual ShangriLa Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday. He called for an “immediate and lasting halt” to land reclamation by all claimants.

The two sides are also expected to lay the groundwork for the India-US Malabar naval exercise to be conducted later this year in the Bay of Bengal. Carter is expected to visit the Eastern Naval Command at Vizag during his India tour. China has in the past raised objections over India and the US expanding the scope of the drill by inviting other countries, especially Japan.