India snubs US on Asia-Pacific rebalancing

First time reacting on the US rebalancing strategy whereby it will deploy 60 percent of its naval assets in the Asia-Pacific Region and wants India to play a more proactive role in the region, Indian Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma on Tuesday said that its primary area of concern was only the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

 

 

In his last press conference, the Navy Chief went on to add that the stakeholders in the South China Sea – both the littoral countries and the global power – are expected to behave “maturely”.

“It is a major policy statement by the US. From our own prospective our primary area of responsibility is from Malacca Strait in the East to the Gulf of Aden and Cape of Good Hope in the west,” Verma said in response to a query if the Indian security establishment has taken cognizance of the new rebalancing strategy by the US.

Even though the US has been maintaining that the strategy does not aim at any one country, but analysts find that the superpower is trying to contain the rise of a more assertive China. The US has repeatedly shown keen interest to help modernize Indian military to enable it to play more ‘important role’ in the region, a euphemism for providing a counterweight to Chinese hegemony in the region.

“South China Sea and Pacific region are important for global powers. But as far as the Indian Navy is concerned active deployment in the region is not on the card,” Verma added.

Explaining it more, the Indian Navy Chief on his last press conference before superannuating on August 31 said: “Our primary area is entirely different. First I have to fulfill this responsibility and then only will I be able to look beyond it.”

South China Sea has received global attention in the recent times with China being involved in territorial disputes with littoral countries like Vietnam and Philippines in the region. The region assumes a greater significance in the international maritime trade.

“Littoral players in the region are conscious what will happen if conflict occurs in the region. It is the larger responsibility of the stakeholders. I do expect that certain level of maturity will be displayed. Hopefully it (the situation) does not precipitate any further,” said Verma.

The US on the other has been maintaining that it has significant security interests in the Asia-Pacific region with lot of allies and partners in the region. In follow up the announcement of the policy, the US sent its Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to India. However, India so far had refrained to comment on it.