India cooperates with Vietnam to explore oil and gas in the East Sea

Indian state-owned oil and gas corporation OGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) has decided to continue exploring and exploiting oil in block 128 in the East Sea under Vietnam's sovereignty.

The Indian partner "ignored" Beijing's warning that the action violated Chinese territory, with a commitment to continue cooperating with its partner, the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Corporation (PetroVietnam), to continue implementing the exploration and exploitation contract for a few more years.

According to some sources in New Delhi, on July 18, an anonymous senior official of OVL Company confirmed to the country's Hindistan Times that OVL Company has accepted PetroVietnam's proposal to continue exploring and exploiting oil in Block 128 in the East Sea area under Vietnam's sovereignty for another two years.

The article argues that OVL’s decision is a “180-degree turn” in its attitude towards the Company’s strategy, as just a few months ago, India’s onGC Videsh announced its intention to cease operations in the block as exploration work could not be carried out due to the hard seabed and that the decision to withdraw was purely for commercial-technical reasons.

However, commenting on the move, an unnamed government official also admitted that OVL's decision could affect relations between New Delhi and Beijing.

This also means that India is indirectly "involved" in the sovereignty dispute in the East Sea and opposes China's claim of sovereignty in the East Sea area./.

According to VNA - NT