PTI

India and Vietnam today inked seven pacts, including one to enhance cooperation in the strategic oil sector, as they called for “freedom” of navigation in the South China Sea, a remark which could irk China which has been claiming territorial sovereignty over the high seas.

The agreements were signed during the second day of the four-day state visit of President Pranab Mukherjee who held talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Truong Tan Sang here.

Both the countries decided to “strengthen and deepen bilateral cooperation on the basis of the strategic partnership with focus on political, defence and security cooperation, economic cooperation, science and technology, culture and people-to-people links, technical cooperation and multilateral and regional cooperation.”

Freedom of navigation

In a subtle message to China, the two countries, who established strategic ties in 2007, asserted that the freedom of navigation in the disputed waters of the South China Sea should not be “impeded” and called all the parties “concerned” to exercise restraint in this context.

“The leaders reiterated their desire and determination to work together to maintain peace, stability, growth and prosperity in Asia. They agreed that freedom of navigation in the East Sea/South China Sea should not be impeded and called the parties concerned to exercise restraint, avoid threat or use of force and resolve disputes through peaceful means in accordance with universally recognised principles of international law, including the UNCLOS-1982,” said a joint communique issued after the meeting.

China has been exerting its influence in these waters which is not taken well by Vietnam and other bordering countries like the Philippines.

Code of Conduct

The two sides urged for “collective commitment of the concerned parties to abide by and implement the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and to work towards the adoption of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea on the basis of consensus.

“They called for cooperation in ensuring security of sea-lanes, maritime security, combating piracy and conducting search and rescue operations,” it said.

“Both the nations also agreed to continue closer interaction under the institutional architecture of the strategic partnership, particularly the Joint Commission meeting, the Foreign Office consultations and strategic dialogue, security dialogue and other dialogue mechanisms between the two countries,” the communique sai.

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