India does a balancing act between ‘Quad’ and China

India just had yet another round of consultation with United States, Japan and Australia on Indo-Pacific, but refrained from joining them in not-so-subtly criticizing China – once again signalling its keenness to avert irking the communist country.

The diplomats of India, United States, Australia and Japan met in Bangkok on Friday, indicating a continuation of the 'quad' – as the consultation mechanism launched by the four nations in 2017 to counter China in Indo-Pacific is popularly known. New Delhi, however, did not join Washington, Canberra and Tokyo to stress on “universal respect for international law and freedom of navigation and overflight” – the jargons of diplomatese, which are often used by the international community to oppose hegemonic aspirations of the communist country in the region.

“The four nations reaffirmed their shared commitment to preserving and promoting the rules-based order in the region,” the US Department of State said in a press release issued in Washington D.C. after the meeting in Bangkok. “They highlighted their efforts to maintain universal respect for.” The press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Japanese Government on the four-nation consultation on Indo-Pacific was also almost similar to the one issued by the US State Department.

The press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi, however, did not use the phrases like “rules-based order” and “respect for international law and freedom of navigation and overflight”, which have been often used by the international community to oppose expansionist moves of China.

China has been accused by the United States, Japan and other nations of undermining the “rules-based order” in Indo-Pacific.

Beijing's territorial disputes with its maritime neighbours in East and South China Sea and its reluctance to resolve the disputes in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea (UNCLOS) often prompted the other nations, not only to criticize it for not adhering to the international laws and flexing military muscles, but also to call for “rules-based order” in Indo-Pacific.

The US has been criticizing China for militarizing the South China Sea by building military installations on artificial islands and reefs. China claims it built military installations only for defending itself against any misadventure by the US or its allies.

Beijing blames the US for escalating tension by sending warships and military aircraft near the islands claimed by China

The US has been conducting “Freedom of Navigation Operation” or “FONOP” in East and South China Sea to counter “expansionist” moves by China. The US Navy’s missile destroyers, USS Preble and USS Chung Hoon, on May 6 sailed near Johnson and Gaven reefs of the Spratly Islands in South China Sea on May 6. China claims Spratly Islands as part of its own territory and built military installations on both the reefs, which are also claimed by Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan. China’s People’s Liberation Army’s Navy stated that it had “detected” and “warned off” both the US warships. The “USS Preble” conducted another “FONOP” on May 19, near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. Philippines and Taiwan counter China’s claim on Scarborough Shoal. China strongly protested the US moves on both the occasions.

New Delhi dropped the phrases to avert hurting the sensitivities of Beijing and any setback in the process that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping initiated during an “informal summit” at Wuhan in central China in April 2018 to mend the bilateral relations. Though India-China ties hit a new low over the 72-day-long military stand-off between at Doklam Plateau in western Bhutan, the two nations have been trying to bring it back on track though a series of engagements, including at the level of the leaders. Modi is set to host Xi for the second “informal summit” later this year.

This was the second time this week India carefully avoided annoying China. New Delhi did not invite any official of the Tibetan Government in Exile (TGiE)), which is based at Dharamshala in India, to the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday to witness Narendra Modi being sworn-in for his second term in the office of Prime Minister. When Modi Government had taken oath for its first term on May 26, 2014, the TGiE Sikyong (president) Lobsang Sangay had been among the guests in the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. China had served a démarche to India strongly protesting against the invitation to the political leader of the exiled Tibetans.

India, however, did join United States, Australia and Japan in reaffirming “commitment towards a free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region based on shared values and principles”. The MEA in New Delhi also stated that the officials of India, Japan, US and Australia, who met in Bangkok, discussed cooperation in the areas of “connectivity and infrastructure development; regional security, including counter-terrorism, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief; maritime cooperation; and cyber-security issues, with a view to promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region”.

The “quad” reaffirmed strong support for centrality of the ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) and for the mechanisms led by it in the regional architecture for the Indo-Pacific. It also welcomed the initiative of ASEAN towards a common vision for the Indo-Pacific.

The US State Department stated that the four nations underscored their intent to continue close coordination and collaboration in support of sustainable, private-sector led development, maritime security, and good governance. They also discussed “initiatives undertaken by each country to encourage transparent, principles-based investment in quality infrastructure in accordance with international standards and leverage the potential of the private sector”. They also expressed “desire to work with like-minded partners and allies to promote a transparent, rules-based approach to trans-boundary challenges”, according to the press release issued by the US State Department.