New Delhi, May 28
Even as a dispute rages on due to over-lapping claims in the hydrocarbon-rich South China Sea, a flotilla of four Indian Naval warships will be visiting ports in Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines. All three countries along with Brunei are in a dispute with China over the demarcation of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the sea.

The US Energy Administration estimates that 11 billion barrels (bbl) of oil reserves and 190 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of natural gas reserves lie buried under the South China Sea-bed. The US Geological Survey (USGS) in 2010 did a 'world petroleum resources assessment' and arrived at as-yet undiscovered estimates of an additional 5-to-22 billion barrels of oil and between 70-to-290 Tcf of gas to be under the South China Sea. India has interest in two oil blocks off the coast off Vietnam.

Sources today confirmed that the four-ship flotilla led by Stealth Frigate INS Satpura left the Indian shores on May 20. The other ships are: Rajput class destroyer INS Ranvijay, a Kora class Corvette INS Kirch and fleet tanker INS Shakti — last one carrying supplies. This is part of the operational overseas deployment.

At present the ships are conducting an exercise with the Singapore Navy just south-east of the Strait of Malacca, one of the busiest shipping choke points in the world. In the next few days the ships will start their journey. The first port of call will be Kelang in Malaysia, followed by De Nang in Vietnam and Manila in the Philippines. Separately, the US also has a naval base at Subic Bay, near Manila.

This is second year running that four ships have gone to the east on such deployment. In August 2011, the Chinese Navy is believed to have asked Indian warship, the INS Airavaat, on patrol in South China Sea, that these were disputed waters. The Indian warship had continued on its course.

On May 20 when Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met in New Delhi they described as the Asia-Pacific-South Chain Sea is part of it in the joint statement. It said: "(Asia-Pacific) plays an increasingly important role in global affairs. The current priority is to maintain peace and stability, to establish an open, transparent, equal and inclusive framework of security and cooperation based on the observance of the basic principles of international law".

India has also maintained that the dispute of over lapping claims be resolved as per UN mandate while the Chinese have been making claims which were frightening for other claimants. The mention of "observance of the basic principles of international law" in the joint statement indicated a small shift.