India for freedom in South China Sea

​Vientiane: Terming sea lanes passing through the strategic South China Sea as the "main arteries" of global trade, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said India supports freedom of navigation as he sought "utmost respect" for international law, amid China's muscle flexing in the region.

While outlining India's principled position on the raging issue over the South China Sea, the Prime Minister in his address at the 11th East Asia Summit (EAS) said, "the threat or use of force" to resolve would complicate matters affecting peace and stability.

Earlier in the day, the issue cropped up during Modi's bilateral talks with his Laotian counterpart Thongloun Sisoulith during which the two sides shared the same perspective on South China Sea (SCS). The sea lanes of communication passing through the South China Sea are the "main arteries" of global merchandise trade, he said.

"As a State party to the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), India urges all parties to show utmost respect for the UNCLOS," Modi said. He added that India's "own track record in settling its maritime boundary with Bangladesh can serve as an example," Modi said.