India challenging China’s influence in the South China Sea with outreach to Russia and other regional powers, analysts say
- India and Russia have agreed to launch a maritime route that would partly go through the hotly contested waters
- Traditional security allies also could ramp up their military and technological collaboration
India is challenging Chinese influence in the South China Sea with its outreach to regional powers, including Russia, with which it has agreed to launch a maritime route that would partly go through the hotly contested waters, analysts said.
Under the memorandum of understanding signed by India and Russia – two traditional security allies – during a regional economic forum this week, a new Indo-Pacific sea route will extend from the port city of Vladivostok, in Russia’s Far East, to Chennai, on the Bay of Bengal in eastern India.
The shipping route will partly traverse the South China Sea, the scene of numerous territorial disputes involving China and neighbouring countries over the years.
In addition to cooperating on the planned maritime route, India and Russia could ramp up their alliance in the military and technological spheres, according to a joint statement released at the economic forum in Vladivostok.
The partnership could “include establishing joint development and production of military equipment, spare parts and components as well as improving the system of after sales services”, the statement said.
The announcement of greater India-Russia military cooperation comes a year after New Delhi agreed to purchase Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile systems.