India-US “New Vision” for Asia Pacific and Indian Ocean
India and the USA on Sunday released a Joint Strategic Vision statement for the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean region, marking the deepening strategic equation between the two nations. The partnership is expected to cover a wide sphere of influence that would extend from Africa to the far reaches of East Asia.
The statement, which is likely to irk China, reaffirms both India and America's concerns on maritime disputes in the South China seas. China is involved with several maritime disputes with countries in the South China seas and has aggressively asserted its claims to disputed territories.
"As the leaders of the world's two largest democracies that bridge the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean region and reflecting our agreement that a closer partnership between the United States and India is indispensable to promoting peace, prosperity and stability in those regions, we have agreed on a Joint Strategic Vision for the region," read the US-India Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region.
We affirm the importance of safeguarding maritime security and ensuring freedom of navigation and over flight throughout the region, especially in the South China Sea, says the statement, indirectly hinting the Spratly Islands dispute or China's disputes with Vietnam over its maritime area of interest.
Without specifically spelling out the ongoing dispute between China and Japan over the Senkau islands, the US and India say, "We call on all parties to avoid the threat or use of force and pursue resolution of territorial and maritime disputes through all peaceful means, in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea."