Instead of standing up to China and challenging its illegal actions in the South China Sea, Joe Biden has decided to play Kate. Xi Jinping, and Joe Biden have decided to do so by picking up a diplomatic fight with none other than USA’s very own friend in recent years and an ally; India. While Xi Jinping may give bite in some respite, for now, India may not take this lightly.
Let me tell you something about a recent incident in the Indian Ocean, which could drive a wedge within the U S and India and weaken the quad. A provocative move that is completely out of line with US foreign policy in the last few years the U S navy carried out a freedom of navigation operation near India’s Lakshwadeep islands on April 7th and boasted about it. About 130 nautical miles west of India, strategically crucial Lakshwadeep islands in India’s exclusive economic zone, the USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53) the third Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer , claimed navigational rights and freedom without India’s consent.
This is being read as a move to placate China, which has been flexing its muscle and has put President Joe Biden on the back foot of late. India has been exercising control of its exclusive economic zone since its independence. Therefore, the actions of the Biden administration to intrude into Indian sovereign territory is unproven and had really bad timing.
It could create huge problems for the quad while it should be noted that the United States, even during the Trump administration, had been exercising the F O N O P inside Indian water, but with permission from India. However, the timing of the action and the scrutinizing of India’s claim has been unprecedented. The U S navy immediately put out a statement that can cause a diplomatic row between New Delhi and Washington. However, it seems that this is exactly what the Biden administration aims to do. The sudden urge to highlight an existing, yet generally downplay disagreement with India on freedom of navigation in Indian waters has sinister connotations. It weakens the quad and gives China an opportunity to vindicate its position in the South China Sea.
This either means the Indian claims in the Indian Ocean are disputed, and the U S is a belligerent power. Either way, the administration has sealed itself right into China’s heart. A statement from the fleet claimed the destroyer quote, unquote – ‘Asserted navigational rights and freedom of approximately 130 nautical miles west of the Lakshwadeep islands inside India’s exclusive economic zone without requesting India’s prior consent. Consistent with international law’. The statement explained, ‘India requires prior consent for military exercises or maneuver’s in its exclusive economic zone, or the continental shelf, a claim inconsistent with international law. This freedom of navigation operation upheld the rights, freedoms and lawful uses of the sea, recognized in international law by challenging India, excessive maritime claims. This statement from the U S has been very aggressive towards India, and its timing could not have been worse.
The USA’s F O N O B’s are used to deter China excessively aggressive claims in the South China. However, China uses artificial islands to increase the extent of their maritime claims in the sea. But Lakshwadeep islands is a natural island chain and does not fall into contentious territory or waters. In fact, when it comes to the United Nations Convention on the law of the sea or the UN C L O S, nothing permits military activity in other nations exclusive economic zones, the Biden administration’s provocative action against a friendly nation, which also happens to be a major adversary of China, is therefore questionable.
India has also stated its displeasure over the matter in a statement, it said ‘the government of India has stated position on the United Nations Convention on the law of the sea, is that the convention does not authorize other states to carry out in the exclusive economic zone and on the continental military exercises or manoeuvres, in particular those involving the use of weapons or explosives without the consent of the coastal state. The U S S. John Paul Jones, was continuously monitored, transiting from the Persian Gulf towards the Malacca straits. We have conveyed our concerns regarding the passage through our exclusive economic zone to the government of USA through diplomatic channels’.
The fact that the F O N O P comes at a time when the U S and India are deepening their maritime cooperation and there is widespread excitement in New Delhi strategic community about the quad’s ability to create an Indo-Pacific security architecture may add complications. At the very least, it shows that the U S is worried about what it calls excessive maritime claims in the Indo-Pacific, not just those made by China. But it should be pointed out that India’s claims in the Indian Ocean are not contested, nor belligerent, as opposed to Chinese actions in the South China Sea, where China has acted aggressively and belligerently and has increased conflicts unnecessarily.
What the Biden administration has done with this move is serve a gift into China’s hands. Besides the diplomatic rift, it could create between New Delhi and Washington, it plays directly into the hands of China, which has been praying for the weakening of the quad. China has been aggressively pushing rhetoric against India’s alliance with the United States, claiming boldly that India’s alliance with the U S and other member states of the quad is not based on fundamental shared values. The actions by the Biden administration have given China a diplomatic high ground when it comes to India’s decision to side with the United States and the quad. At the time of the Trump administration, India, which had been fairly hesitant and allowing foreign powers in the Indian Ocean, had welcomed the U S, Japan and Australia. China had slammed the decision, but in vain the Quad was based on shared values and fundamentals, with the basic principle of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The Biden administration has essentially backstabbed the Indian government and the quad by picking up issues with one of the most important Indo-Pacific allies. This may turn out to be one of the biggest mistakes that Joe Biden commits in the White House.
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