Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday addressed the East Asia Summit on an official visit to Indonesia's Jakarta where he also attended the ASEAN Summit. In light of China's escalating military assertiveness in the South China Sea, PM Modi emphasised the need for a collective commitment and collaborative endeavours to fortify the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations.
The current global scenario is surrounded by difficult circumstances and uncertainties, the prime minister warned.
During his speech, Modi also asserted India's belief in the necessity for the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea to be both effective and in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
These remarks followed closely on the heels of strong reactions from several ASEAN member countries, including Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, regarding Beijing's territorial claims over the South China Sea as depicted in its latest iteration of the "standard map of China."
On August 28, Beijing unveiled the 2023 edition of this map, which includes Taiwan, the South China Sea, Arunachal Pradesh, and Aksai Chin as Chinese territories. India promptly rejected this representation and lodged a vigorous protest with China.
The prime minister highlighted that all nations have a shared interest in fostering peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.
"The need of the hour is an Indo-Pacific where international law including UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) applies equally to all countries; where there is freedom of navigation and overflight; and where there is unimpeded lawful commerce for the benefit of all," Modi said.
He further emphasised, "India believes that the Code of Conduct should be effective for the South China Sea; be UNCLOS compliant; and in this, the interests of those countries which are not part of the discussions should also be kept in mind."
Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Aridam Bagchi took to X (formerly Twitter) to highlight Modi's point on the convergence on vision for Indo-Pacific between India and ASEAN.
Modi "underscored that ASEAN is the focal point of Quad’s vision. PM called for strengthening multilateralism and ensuring a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific," Bagchi wrote.
The East Asia Summit serves as the preeminent platform in the Asia-Pacific region for addressing security and defence matters. Since its establishment in 2005, it has played a pivotal role in shaping the strategic, geopolitical, and economic landscape of East Asia.
In addition to ASEAN member states, the East Asia Summit includes India, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Russia.
"The current global scenario is surrounded by difficult circumstances and uncertainties. Terrorism, extremism, and geo-political conflicts are big challenges for all of us," Modi said.
"To face these, multilateralism and rules-based international order are important. It is necessary to completely follow international laws. And everyone's commitment and joint efforts are also necessary to strengthen the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries," he added.
"As I have said before – today's era is not of war. Dialogue and diplomacy is the only way to the solution," Modi noted.
Per Bagchi, Modi also called for collectively addressing global issues including terrorism, climate change, cybersecurity and challenges related to food, health and energy security.
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