Responding to queries on reports that Chinese ships are interrupting oil exploration activities of India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) in the waters, spokesperson of the External Affairs Ministry Raveesh Kumar said at the weekly press conference: “We have genuine and legitimate interests in the peace, stability and predictability of access to the major waterways in the region”.
The East Sea is important as 55 percent of India’s trade passes through it, he added.
Earlier, Indian press reported that Vietnam has apprised India of tensions arising from China’s deployment of survey vessel Haiyang Dizhi 8 escorted by coast guard ships in the East Sea, close to waters where the state-owned ONGC is engaged in oil and gas exploration.
Q.h t.h/VNA
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