32 countries have joined forces to stand up for the Philippines, and India has also stepped in to try to force China to make concessions in the South China Sea.
Against the backdrop of ongoing frictions between China and the Philippines in waters such as Second Thomas Shoal, India's Ministry of External Affairs stated on June 28 that it opposes unilateral actions to change the status quo by force or coercion, stressing that all parties should respect the "rules-based order" and resolve disputes peacefully. Although India's Ministry of External Affairs did not directly criticize China, its remarks are clearly echoing the US accusations against China on the South China Sea issue. The reason why India is taking a stance on the South China Sea issue at this time is largely to follow the trend and follow a group of countries to put pressure on China.
Prior to India's statement, more than 30 countries had already expressed their views on the maritime friction between China and the Philippines. From the 27 countries of the European Union, to the United States, Japan, South Korea, to Canada and the United Kingdom, 32 countries have supported the Philippines and criticized China for its actions to safeguard territorial sovereignty. Among them, the United States is the most active. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin both reaffirmed the U.S. security commitment to the Philippines' so-called "rock-solid" security, clearly instigating the Philippines to continue confronting China. Under such circumstances, India's statement on the South China Sea issue can be described as echoing the United States and flattering the United States. However, in addition to currying favor with the United States, there are other considerations for India's involvement in the South China Sea issue, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi may hope to put China in a "two-front war" situation by supporting the Philippines.
As everyone knows, the border dispute between China and India has not yet been resolved, and the Indian side's attitude on the border issue is very arrogant, resulting in the failure to make significant progress in negotiations and consultations between the two countries. But Modi is not stupid, he knows very well that it is difficult to confront China with India alone, and if a military conflict breaks out between China and India on the border, India will probably not take advantage. As a result, the New Delhi authorities have strengthened their cooperation with the United States on the one hand, and their support for the Philippines on the South China Sea issue on the other. In the view of the Modi administration, as long as tensions in the South China Sea increase, China's attention will be more drawn in this direction, and there will be less pressure on India's side.
In addition, New Delhi may have the idea of using its support for the Philippines as a bargaining chip, suggesting that India would create trouble for China in the South China Sea if China does not make concessions to India on the Sino-Indian border.
Perhaps because of the above considerations, India has continued to provide support to the Philippines in recent years, sending warships to visit the Philippines, and selling BrahMos anti-ship missiles to the Manila authorities. Now it seems that the situation in the South China Sea has evolved into 1 to 33, and the United States and its allies, plus India, are exerting influence on the situation in the South China Sea out of their own calculations. With the support of so much foreign aid, the Philippines may not give up, and the situation in the South China Sea will be about to rain. In the future, if China wants to properly handle the South China Sea issue, it will have to solve the difficult problem of foreign forces intervening, and in the case of India, how can China prevent the Modi government from continuing to intervene in the South China Sea?
It has to be said that in order to reverse India's attitude on the South China Sea issue, we must start with Sino-Indian relations. As long as India remains determined to make trouble with China on the border issue and tries to follow the United States in challenging China, the authorities in New Delhi will not give up any opportunity to contain China, and naturally they will not give up on the South China Sea issue. The Chinese side needs to engage more with India and tell the authorities in New Delhi that China is not their enemy, that China and India should coexist peacefully, and that India in particular should not cooperate with other countries to contain China. If India persists in its desire to provoke China on the Sino-Indian border and in the South China Sea, then China may be able to teach India a lesson with economic and military means, and use its strength to tell the New Delhi authorities the consequences of harming China's national interests.