India reiterates its stand, says South China Sea a part of global commons

Beijing claims almost all of the 1.3 million square mile South China Sea as its sovereign territory

India on Thursday said the South China Sea is a "part of global commons" and it firmly stands for the freedom of navigation and overflight in these international waterways, an assertion that comes days after the US rejected most of China's maritime claims in the region.

India's assertion comes after the Trump administration, in a major policy decision, categorically rejected the territorial claims made by Beijing in the South China Sea, stating that it has no legal grounds to unilaterally impose its will on the region.

Asked about the US' assertion, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said India has articulated