By Long Xingchun

February 25, 2016

"A Reuters exclusive published earlier this month suggested that the US and India had talked about launching joint naval patrols in the South China Sea in the name of safeguarding freedom of navigation. But India's Ministry of External Affairs clarified there would be no such patrols and the US subsequently denied the plan. Most opinions attribute New Delhi's refusal to its dismay over Washington's approval of the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan. However, the fact is probably that India has no intention to participate in the US-proposed South China Sea patrols, which in no way conform to its national interest.

India's interests in the South China Sea are not threatened. The country boasts close trade relations with East Asian nations; the South China Sea that harbors abundant oil and gas resources is viewed as one of its important energy sources in the future; the freedom of navigation in the waters is crucial to its interests."

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