International waterways must remain safe and unimpeded: S. Jaishankar

The East Asia Summit (EAS) is a premier forum in the Indo-Pacific region for strategic dialogue, comprising ASEAN members and eight dialogue partners including India. India's emphasis on "safe and unimpeded" international waterways directly references the ongoing tensions in regions like the Red Sea (due to Houthi attacks) and the South China Sea. By advocating for a Code of Conduct (CoC) in the South China Sea that complies with the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and protects the rights of all users, India reinforces its commitment to a rules-based international order. The push for ASEAN centrality ensures that the regional architecture is driven by collective consensus rather than dominance by any single power, aligning with India's broader Indo-Pacific vision (SAGAR - Security and Growth for All in the Region). UPSC often tests the strategic significance of the EAS and UNCLOS provisions regarding freedom of navigation.

The statement highlights the cascading effects of the Myanmar crisis, where military rule since 2021 has led to a civil conflict involving Ethnic Armed Organisations. India's call for a "political solution" underscores its preference for stability on its eastern borders, given the implications for the Act East Policy and cross-border security challenges (insurgency, refugee influx). The focus on collective action against "cyberscam centres" brings attention to an emerging transnational security threat, primarily operating from Southeast Asia (often linked to human trafficking and financial fraud), impacting the global economy. This necessitates robust international cooperation in cybersecurity frameworks. Furthermore, India’s reiteration of a "zero tolerance for terrorism" at the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) signals a consistent diplomatic effort to isolate state sponsors of terror, a theme relevant for GS Paper 3 (Security Challenges).

Pakistan's attempt to raise the Kashmir issue and the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) at the ARF represents the "internationalization" of bilateral disputes, a tactic India vehemently opposes. India's response categorizing these remarks as "state-sponsored disinformation" reinforces its position that issues with Pakistan must be resolved bilaterally under the Simla Agreement. The suspension or "abeyance" of the IWT by India following the Pahalgam terror attack marks a significant shift. The IWT, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, allocates the waters of three eastern rivers to India and three western rivers to Pakistan. Placing it in abeyance signals a hardening stance, leveraging hydro-diplomacy or "water as a weapon" in response to cross-border terrorism. UPSC aspirants must understand the mechanisms of the IWT, the role of the World Bank, and the strategic implications of utilizing water-sharing agreements as diplomatic leverage.