New Delhi: India and China held the second round of maritime affairs dialogue in Beijing on Friday. The Indian delegation was led by Dr Pankaj Sharma, Joint Secretary (Disarmament and International Security Affairs), in the Ministry of External Affairs while the Chinese delegation was led by Mr Wu Jianghao, Director General at the Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.
In a statement, the MEA said that both sides exchanged views regarding cooperation on maritime security, blue economy and strengthening cooperation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision statement for the Indo-Pacific at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore was also discussed.
The Indian delegation also met the vice foreign minister of China, Kong Xuanyou.
“Both sides underlined the importance of this Dialogue as an important mechanism between the two countries for consultations on maritime issues. They emphasised the need to further strengthen maritime cooperation as an important area of India-China bilateral relations, and as a platform to strengthen political and strategic mutual trust between the two countries,” the statement said.
The dialogue is significant ever since Modi’s articulate reference to the Indo-Pacific region in Singapore, where he spoke on American demands for freedom of navigation and also criticised those who were putting other nations under immense debt. Interestingly, he did not make any reference to the QUAD, an informal grouping of Japan, US, India and Australia to counter China’s growing maritime presence although the QUAD did meet in Singapore.
China has been well aware of India’s growing interests in the region. An op-ed in the state-run Global Times earlier this month had said that the Indo-Pacific strategy could cost India an opportunity to develop. It also warned India against falling for US ways and “look to China for ways of self-development.
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