With respect to the South China sea, maritime territorial disputes and rising tension affirm the need for safeguarding maritime security to ensure freedom of navigation and ever flight throughout the region. In this context, discuss the bilateral issues between India and China.

GS 2

International Relations

2014

12.5 Marks

Recent South China Sea tensions and China's growing assertiveness have significantly impacted India-China bilateral relations, creating new challenges for maritime security and regional stability.

Indo Pacific Region Map and Straits

Maritime Security Concerns in Bilateral Relations

String of Pearls Strategy
- China's naval base establishment across Indian Ocean Region (IOR) from Gwadar to Djibouti
- Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka and infrastructure projects in Myanmar threatening India's maritime interests
- Intelligence gathering capabilities through dual-use facilities in neighboring countries
- Economic leverage through debt-trap diplomacy converting commercial ports to military assets
- Strategic encirclement of India through maritime chokepoints control
Naval Competition and Presence
- China's Type 055 destroyers and nuclear submarines increasing presence in Indian Ocean
- India's counter-deployment through Mission-Based Deployments since 2017
- Competition for influence in Maldives, Mauritius, and Seychelles
- Both nations expanding anti-piracy operations as strategic cover
- Growing submarine activities creating underwater domain challenges

Border Disputes Affecting Maritime Relations

Land-Sea Linkage Impact
- Galwan Valley clash (2020) affecting maritime cooperation agreements
- Suspension of joint naval exercises and military-to-military exchanges
- Border tensions influencing maritime boundary discussions in contested areas
- Doklam standoff precedent affecting trust in maritime domain
- Trade route security concerns due to land border instability

Issue	India's Position	China's Position
Freedom of Navigation	Supports UNCLOS, free navigation	Claims historic rights over SCS
Regional Partnerships	QUAD, bilateral naval exercises	Belt and Road Initiative
Maritime Laws	International law adherence	Nine-dash line claims

Strategic Responses and Initiatives

India's Maritime Strategy
- Act East Policy strengthening ASEAN naval partnerships
- Quad naval exercises (Malabar 2024) with US, Japan, Australia
- Indo-Pacific Vision promoting rule-based maritime order
- Information Fusion Centre in Gurugram for maritime domain awareness
- Mission SAGAR providing humanitarian assistance to Indian Ocean nations
Diplomatic Engagement Mechanisms
- Border Personnel Meeting Points extending to maritime confidence-building
- Military Commander-level talks including naval representatives since 2020
- Special Representatives dialogue addressing maritime security concerns
- BRICS naval cooperation maintaining limited engagement channels
- Shanghai Cooperation Organization maritime security discussions

The India-China bilateral maritime relationship reflects broader geopolitical competition in the Indo-Pacific. India's emphasis on UNCLOS-based order and multilateral partnerships through QUAD represents a strategic response to China's assertive maritime posture, requiring careful balance between competition and cooperation.

Answer Length

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