India picks a quarrel with China

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http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/MI17Ad01.html

India, which has been wetting its toes sporadically in the South China Sea in the recent years, is apparently taking the plunge to wade waist-deep into the troubled waters. It is a historic move - be it there is no clarity whether merely tactical or strategic. But it is historic; India's "Look East" policy acquires swagger. The Sino-Indian geostrategic rivalry is not going to be the same again.

Two months ago, an unidentified caller on an open radio channel hailed an Indian naval ship INS Airavatas as it was leaving Vietnam after a "goodwill visit", and advised it to lay off the South China Sea. The Chinese denied Beijing's involvement in the incident. India kept an ambiguous silence over the incident, which the Western media played up.

But this time around, the spat is for real and is inflammable. It has


to do with exploration projects by Indian state-owned company Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Videsh Limited (ONGC Videsh) in two offshore blocks that Vietnam claims. The Indian establishment selectively "leaked" ONGC Videsh's move just ahead of the visit by India's external affairs minister SM Krishna to Hanoi this week, presumably to draw out Beijing into a reaction.

Beijing promptly obliged by taking exception to India engaging in oil and gas exploration projects in the disputed South China Sea. The Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said in reply to a query: ''Our consistent position is that we are opposed to any country engaging in oil and gas exploration and development activities in waters under China's jurisdiction.''