This is top news in China. Singapore invited India to patrol the Malacca Strait. Everyone knows how sensitive is the Malacca Strait to China. No need to elaborate on this.
Since Lawrence Wong made his visit to China and met up with Xi, like what Marcos Junior did, Singapore's every action is looking like following the path of the Philippines against China. And now this invitation to India to the Asean region, to guard the Malacca Strait. Asean's position has been very clear and repeated over and over again, to remain neutral and to keep the big powers from interfering in Asean affair, in the Asean region. The US and Japan had made the same proposal before, to want to patrol the Malacca Strait, the waters of Indonesia and Malaysia, not Singapore, and were rejected by both countries.
The Malacca Strait is not only sensitive to Indonesia and Malaysia. Both regard the Strait as their territorial waters and have the most speaking right on this matter. The big question, did Singapore do this on its own initiative or on someone's directive? Did Singapore seek the consent of Indonesia or Malaysia before inviting India to patrol the Malacca Strait?
Indonesia is Asean's biggest power, and Malaysia is also a big partner, both Muslim states while India is anti Muslim. Enough said. Why would Indonesia and Malaysia agree to bring a big power, with super power ambition and openly claimed the Indian Ocean, to mug around in the waters of Indonesia and Malaysia? Would Indonesia and Malaysia be willing to play second fiddle to the Indians in their backyard, their territorial waters?
Just hope and pray that Singapore did ask the Indonesians and Malaysians and they both agreed to allow the anti Muslim Indians to guard their doorstep. Likely?
What do you think?