India in Strait of Malacca. India in South China Sea.

India in Strait of Malacca

Importance of Malacca.• It a maritime route.• 60,000 ships pass through this

route.• It is in b/w Malaysia and

Indonesia.

India Naval Station (Baaz)

India has opened a key naval station, named INS BAAZ (HAWK) in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

India commissions INS Baaz to counter China's moves in Indian Ocean.

It will keep an eagle eye watch on critical maritime choke points(Strait of Malacca).

Baaz will improve India's capacity to monitor security of waters running into the Malacca Strait.

This area is near to Indonesia, India will gain strategic supremacy in the area

The new base also includes an upgraded air base, will soon be operating heavier military planes from the Indian Air Force

Besides facilitating India's monitoring of maritime and other vessels in the region, Baaz will guard against piracy.

Indian military will be in a good position for operations if maritime activities in the region are threatened.

India and china competing for Malacca in BurmaThere is a new great game under way b/w

India and China.The coast line of Burma provides naval

access to the world’s most strategic water passages, The strait of Malacca.

Burma has great importance and both countries are trying to make deals with Burma. A kind of competition is going b/w India and China.

Beijing has stepped up its engagement in Burma. China is also Burma’s most important defense alley.

China has also built an 85 m jetty, naval facility on the great Coco Island, located near to India’s Andaman and Nicobar Island.

This gives China an opportunity to monitor India’s military activities in Andaman and Nicobar Island.

India is afraid of China’s influence in Burma.

Coco island which is very near to India’s Andaman Islands. It gives an advantage to China over India.

Burma is exploring oil and gas and it is important for both countries to make deals with Burma in order to fulfil their energy resources including oil and gas.

From a perceived China fear, India has been building up its military strength. India has been pursuing the closer relations with the US, something that worries China.

India in South China SeaWhile the world is focusing on rising tension

between China and Claimants in the SCS, Beijing and Delhi are also engaged in a quiet struggle in SCS.

China don’t want India to participate in SCS but India is participating and Vietnam is welcoming Indian in this region.

India signed an agreement with Vietnam in Oct 2011 for the exploration of oil in SCS and has excepted the challenge from China.

Vietnam Foreign minister addressed a press conference, he said that the countries bordering the SCS have rights to the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and India can pursue “exploration and exploitation work in the exclusive economic zone of Vietnam.

Vietnam welcomes the other states in this region because Vietnam can’t tackle China in this region.

Indian state owned oil company ONGC Videsh limited (OVC) is working to explore oil and gas in Block 127 & 128.

China’s warning to India to stay away from this region. China said that China’s permission is must for exploration in Blocks 127 & 128 and ONGC Videsh Limited activities would be considering illegal.

India working in Block 127 and 128 with the permission of Vietnam. China has concern on this development.

In 2012 Indian’s junior oil minister RPN Singh told the parliament that OVC had decided to return from Block 128 and stop exploration.

Hanoi publicly suggested that Delhi decision was a response to pressure from China.

After this India decided to continue the joint exploration, Vietnam decided to extend OVL contracts in Block 128.

China has decided to establish a military garrison on Woddy Island in Paracel in attempt to assert claims over the region.

Chinese naval and air patrols are ready to protect their maritime rights and interests in SCS.

India-Vietnam pact to expand oil exploration in South China SeaWednesday, Nov 20, 2013,

Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party,

Indian PM Manmohan Singh