India and the Philippines have undertaken their first-ever joint naval exercises in the disputed South China Sea, marking a significant strategic alignment between the two nations amid growing tensions with China, according to Euronews.
The two-day military drills, which commenced on Sunday, represent a bold challenge to Beijing’s territorial claims over nearly the entire waterway, a crucial global trade route also contested by Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
Filipino armed forces chief General Romeo Brawner confirmed the exercises’ success on Monday while acknowledging expected Chinese surveillance.
“We did not experience any untoward incident but we were still shadowed. We expected that already,” Brawner stated, referencing China’s established pattern of monitoring foreign naval activities in the region.
The drills underscore Manila’s concerted effort to strengthen regional alliances in response to Beijing’s policy. The Philippines has previously conducted joint patrols with several nations including the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and France.
China’s Defence Ministry recently escalated rhetoric, labelling the Philippines a “troublemaker” for aligning with foreign powers.
“China never wavers in its resolve and will to safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and will take resolute countermeasures against any provocations by the Philippine side,” Defence Ministry spokesperson Colonel Zhang Xiaogang told a news conference last week.
Brawner defended the collaboration with India as essential for national security, stating Manila must “partner with like-minded nations” to strengthen its position.
“That’s what we’re doing with India,” he explained, emphasising the shared commitment to “maritime security, regional stability and a rules-based international order” in the geopolitically volatile region.
The naval exercises precede Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s five-day state visit to India, where discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi will focus on enhancing cooperation across multiple sectors including defence, trade, investment, agriculture, tourism and pharmaceuticals.
China maintains separate territorial disputes with both participants, the ongoing Sino-Indian border conflict and Manila’s objections to Chinese activities within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
