India urges peaceful settlement of disputes at South China Sea

August 13, 2014

As the tensions continue to grow over the disputes in the South China Sea, External Affairs Minister of India asked on Sunday for all nations involved to resolve this issue in a peaceful and coherent manner.

Addressing the fourth s' Meeting at the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Regional Form  in,  on Sunday, she said "India opposes the use or threat of use of force" and backs the  with due acceptance of the 1982. She further emphasised India urges for the implementation of the guidelines within the in the South China Sea.

A company based in India,  (ONGC), operates in a number of oil blocks under South China Sea with consent of Vietnam, in the same. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) identified that basin as potentially containing large deposits. India's ONGC was given exploration permits in blocks 127 and 128; there are already drilling operations of 's, three permits; and , in block 123; as well as other operators such as , ,  and Neon Energy.

China has objected against the Indian presence, calling for foreign countries to stay out of the South China Sea, maintaining China's claims there as indisputable. China's sweeping sovereignty claims in the South China Sea clash with several ASEAN nations such as Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei.