India, China move to maritime cooperation

• India and China have decided to open a new chapter in bilateral cooperation by agreeing to undertake joint operations against pirates and sharing technological know how on seabed research.
• The first proposal seeks to involve the Coast Guards, the navies and air forces in action against pirates. The modalities will be worked out by a joint group that will include the two Foreign Offices, besides the Ministries of Defence, Shipping and Oceanography.
• The talks also touched an area of acute anxiety to the Chinese — the possibility of protesting Tibetans stealing the limelight during the month-end BRICS summit here at a time of heightened tensions in the Chinese province.
• China had cancelled high-level border talks in November last after India declined to withdraw permission for an international Buddhist conference planned around the same time.
• Second proposal — sharing technological know how on seabed research falling outside the domain of coastal countries — is aimed at dousing India's apprehensions after Beijing was permitted by the International Seabed Authority to explore in south-west Indian Ocean.
• Highly placed sources put a great deal of stress on the proposal of joint operations against pirates, especially after China and India exchanged sharp statements over ONGC taking up exploration in the disputed South China Sea.