Indo-Pacific security architecture unveils in South China Sea
South China Sea (Image credit X @USAmbJapan)
South China Sea dispute hastens regrouping of Quad
By Manish Anand
New Delhi, April 8: China’s aggressive postures against neighbours has invited a fresh counter-initiative led by the US. Four nations joint naval exercise set sail in the South China Sea on Sunday. The joint response of four nations against China is being hailed as a new Indo-Pacific defence cooperation.
“A new era in regional security and collaboration has just set sail,” posted the US ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Emanual is a known China hawk.
The navies of the US, Japan, Australia, and Philippines set sail on the China Sea waters on Sunday. “The first-ever quadrilateral maritime training exercise between the US, Japan, Australia, and Philippines in the South China Sea is the latest example of what Indo-Pacific defence cooperation looks like,” added Emanual.
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The People’s Liberation Army of China issued a statement through its southern theatre command. It asserted that the PLA will also hold joint air and naval military drills in the South China Sea.
The Chinese response has been swift. China showcased its naval and air power to coincide with four-nation drills. The South China Sea is disputed. China routinely bullies naval assets of neighbours in the South China Sea.
Philip Shelter-Jones, a research fellow in Indo-Pacific security, claimed that the four-nation naval drill in the South China Sea may be the real Quad. “Is this now the real Quad,” asked Shelter-Jones.
Quad consists of the US, Japan, Australia, and India. External Affairs Minister Subhramanyam Jaishankar visited the Philippines last month. He extended India’s support to the claims of Philippines in the maritime dispute with China.
But India has stayed away from committing military assets in the South China Sea. China in fact criticised Jaishankar for commenting on the disputed maritime issue.
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Iroquois Reef is at the centre of the maritime conflict between China and the Philippines. It is just 237 kms away from Palawan, an island of the Philippines. In contrast, it is more than 1200 kms away from the Hainan province of China. The International Court of Justice in Hague has ruled against China.
While India doesn’t deploy military assets in the South China Sea, naval cooperation is taking place with the US and others in the Indo-Pacific. Cochin Shipyard has inked a pact with the US Navy for repair and maintenance works. Similar pact has been inked by Mazagon Dock Shipyard.
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The US-led western block is egging on India to take an active role in the defence cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. But diplomatic experts argue that India may stay away from deploying visible military assets in far-off places. They argue that India will look after the maritime security in the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea.
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