New Delhi: PM Narendra Modi, who is on a visit to Brunei, has made important comments on the current situation in the South China Sea in the Indo-Pacific region. In a bilateral meeting with Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, PM Modi said that India does not support expansionism, India is with development. India and Brunei have also talked about giving complete freedom to boats in this entire region.

Let us tell you that like other South East Asian countries located around the South China Sea, Brunei also has a dispute with China. China also has such disputes with the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Taiwan.

The Indian PM has in recent weeks held discussions with Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim and Vietnam PM Pham Minh Chinh on China's expansionist policies in the Indo-Pacific region.

Beijing has dispute with many countries over South China Sea

Referring to the South China Sea issue, Modi said that we support free navigation and in this regard, we support freedom of navigation and overflight under the international law of the United Nations agency UNCLOS.

It should be noted that in 2016, UNCLOS supported the Philippines' claim in a dispute between the Philippines and China. This claim was regarding a sea area and the islands located in it. China has not accepted it.

Since this decision of UNCLOS, the Indo-Pacific region has become the center of global diplomacy. Modi reached Brunei on 03 September and from there went to Singapore on 04 September afternoon. Talks will be held with India at the government level in Singapore on Thursday.

Agreement reached with Brunei on this issue 

In the talks held between PM Modi and Sultan Bokiah in Brunei, a special consensus was reached on LNG and renewable energy. Brunei currently exports crude oil to India. Now both the countries want to increase their relations in other energy sectors as well.

PM Modi himself said that both the countries are talking about long term agreements on LNG (liquefied natural gas). India is trying to increase the current share of gas in its economy from 7 percent to 15 percent. For this, it will have to import a lot of LNG from abroad.

Brunei can emerge as a major supplier country. Talks will be initiated to increase cooperation in the defense sector between the two countries.

After the end of the visit, Modi wrote on Twitter that the visit to Brunei was very productive. This has started a new era of India-Brunei relations. Our friendship will make the world a better place.

After reaching Singapore, PM Modi talked about the various talks to be held between India and Singapore and presented India as a very attractive investment destination for Singaporean companies. He said that with the help of its reforms and youth power, India is an ideal place for investment today.