China-India relations are at the lowest point in 2021 foloowing China's persistent strategy to generate continuing turbulence in India's security environment, military confrontation on the Northern Borders and pussy-footing on de-escalation in Eastern Ladakh post- May 2020 India's pushback at Galwan.
China contextually therefore was cautioned by Indian Foreign Minister in the following telling words: " Now if you disturb peace and tranquillity, if there is intimidation and friction at the border, obviously its going to tell on the relationship. So my honest answer to you is that I think the relationship (China-India) is at the crossroads. The border tensions cannot continue with cooperation in other areas."
Referring to the QUAD, the Indian Foreign Minister asserted that "With passage of time any initiative will mature" and that the "QUAD's agenda is expanding". Moving ahead as to why the QUAD is a strategic necessity the Indian Foreign Minister stated that " So the QUAD fills a gap that cannot be addressed simply by four bilateral relationships aggregated".
The last sentence in my opinion is most noteworthy in that it sums up India's future directions namely that in view of China's expansionist impulses and China's intransigent moves of subjecting borders with India to ignition point levels, India has no option but to opt for multilateral security initiatives especially in the maritime domains.
The Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressing the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meet yesterday asserted that India strongly stands for a 'Free & Open Indo Pacific" and further reinforced it with assertion that India supports "freedom of navigation and overflights in the South China Sea"
Continuing on the South China Sea , the Indian Defence Minister made the following observations: (1) South China Sea developments have attarcted attention beyond the region (2) Code of Conduct negotiations between ASEAN and China would lead to positive outcomes consonnant with international law and UNCLOS (3) Maritime security has become a concern for India and international community (4) Sea Lanes of Communication are essential for peace, security and prosperity of Indo Pacific.
Reinforcing India's approaches to Indo Pacific challenging security environment and India's policy approaches thereon,, the Indian Defence Minister notably stated that " India strengthened ts cooperative engagements in the Indo Pacific based on converging views and visions of peace, stability and prosperity in the region"I
India has not only been really pushed into a corner by China's highly provocative military moves on India's Northern Borders accompanied by China's increasing intrusive naval moves in the Indian Ocean but also alarmed China's maritime creep in South China Sea which extends upto Malacca Straits at India's doorstep
Therefore, the overall message from India to China is putting China on notice that India will enhance, reinforce and widen its security cooperative engagements in Indo Pacific as manifested by increased security cooperation with ASEAN Nations and more significantly the QUAD.
Significantly, Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghai and US Defense Secretary LlyodAustin were attending this Defence Ministers' Summit.
The import of India's implicit references to China degrading the peaceful security environment in Indo Pacific and South China Sea would have been noted by Chinese Defence Minister.
The United States would be heartened by India's emerging policy stances on Indo Pacific security, the QUAD and India's call for a "Free & Open Indo Pacific"---an Indian resonance of United States policy stances.
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