A day after news reports quoted top Chinese officials saying any oil and gas exploration work in the South China Sea requires approval from China, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj rejected that contention and said that “activities” by Indian companies (ONGC-Videsh) in that area are as per international laws.
Speaking on the occasion of NDA-Government first anniversary on Sunday, Swaraj reiterated that India supports freedom of navigation and international trade in the South China Sea, hence “any threat or use of threat is inappropriate”.
“In South China Sea, our activities are compatible with international laws,” Swaraj said, reacting to remarks made by an official of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). last October, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung had asked India’s ONGC-Videsh ltd to launch oil and gas exploration in its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the South China Sea. This had prompted a sharp reaction from the Chinese side, which warned India against meddling in its dispute with Vietnam over islands in the South China Sea.
Swaraj added this matter came up during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meetings with Chinese leadership and both India and China are committed to resolve the issue through peaceful dialogue. In fact, there are several unresolved issues between the two countries on which India wants some movement. Swaraj said that India has expressed its strong reservation on the Pakistan-China economic corridor in the Pak-occupied Kashmir (PoK). “We not only took up the matter at diplomatic levels but the Prime Minister also discussed it with Chinese leadership saying this was not acceptable to India,” Swaraj said.
She acknowledged that issue of stapled visa too remains unresolved and Modi had taken it up strongly with the Chinese leadership during his recent visit to Beijing. She added that the PM also had a candid talk on land boundaries dispute and hydrological issue with the Chinese leaders.
Clarifying PM's announcement of e-visa for the Chinese even as they given stapled visa to Indian citizens from Arunachal and Jammu & Kashmir, Swaraj said e-visa is not a concession but to promote tourism. “A visa of 30 days will be given after proper verification,” she said.
Meanwhile, Modi will visit Israel some time soon. The dates for his visit are yet to be finalised as diplomats from both sides are working out for a mutually convenient schedule. But whenever it materialises, this will be first ever visit by an India PM to Israel even though the two nations established a "full diplomatic relationship" 13 years back in 1992. Modi has travelled 18 countries in the last one year.
But before Modi touches down at Jerusalem on Israeli PM's invite, Swaraj will make a trip to Israel to prepare ground for the PM's visit. Swaraj will also travel to Palestine and Jordan during the same visit. Sources said Swaraj's visit to Israel was earlier planned for January this year but got postponed due to elections in that country. While making an announcement about Modi's Israel visit, Swaraj clarified it does not indicate any change in India's foreign policy towards Palestinian cause.
"There is a wrong perception that the Modi Government is tilted more towards Israel. We are engaging with Palestine leadership at different levels. I recently spoke to the Palestinian PM and clarified there is no change in our foreign policy vis-à-vis Palestine. We have been engaged with both Israel and Palestine in the last one year. Israel as a friendly country but we have never let down the Palestinian cause and we will continue to support it," Swaraj said. Home Minister Rajnath Singh too recently visited Israel.
In a bid to reach out to various Central Asian countries, Swaraj said Modi will visit Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan when he travels to Russia to attend the BRICS Summit. "When he goes to Ufa in Russia for BRICS summit, he will visit five Central Asian countries," Swaraj said.