Can South China Sea Spark Indo-China Conflict?

China had objected to India using Indian ocean by saying that it is not the property of India and just to remind them with same medicine that South China sea is not the sole property of China as China is now objecting to ONGC Videsh doing exploration activities in that region and is also eyeing India and Vietnam agreements with an eye of suspicion. China has called the Indo-Vietnam deal a serious political provocation and urged the Chinese government to "try every means possible to stop this cooperation from happening". China has always practised claiming other territories on the basis of old historical backgrounds and associations.

ONGC Videsh (OVL) had signed a contract with Vietnamese authorities to explore blocks 127 and 128 off the Spratly Islands, claimed by China (both the PRC and Taiwan) and Vietnam. This is no doubt an indication of a 'forward policy' on security issues relating to the South China Sea and India has for the first time taken a firm stand and PM Manmohan Singh also looked convinced on the issue in media briefs.

Hopefully the matter should be resolved on diplomatic front between India and China and it should not become a spark point for any of military actions as in such an eventuality our nation will be taken back by 50 years. However as a nation seeing the oil crunch we can not ignore South China sea from exploration activities.