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 over flight throughout the region. In this context, discuss the bilateral issues between India and China. (UPSC 2014)

The South China Sea is a key sea lane for trade and energy. Its disputes matter to India because they affect a rules-based maritime order and freedom of navigation.

• Law and order: India supports UNCLOS, peaceful settlement and the 2016 arbitral award, while China rejects it and asserts expansive claims.
• Economic stakes: A large share of India’s trade and energy passes through the Malacca Strait-South China Sea route; any Chinese control or disruption threatens energy security and commerce.
• Strategic friction: China has objected to Indian oil exploration in Vietnam’s offshore blocks, and its island militarisation and surveillance build-up heighten risks for Indian naval presence and regional stability.

Thus, India-China tensions in the SCS stem from clashes over maritime law, access, and influence, requiring naval preparedness, ASEAN and Indo-Pacific cooperation, and sustained diplomacy to safeguard open seas.