The Philippine and Indian navies have conducted their first-ever joint sail in the South China Sea, marking a new chapter in defense cooperation between the two countries amid rising tensions in the region.
The two-day maritime exercise, which began on Sunday, took place within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), according to Philippine military officials. The move comes as Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. departed for a state visit to India, where expanding maritime and defense ties are expected to be high on the agenda, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The joint sail is part of Manila’s broader initiative, launched in late 2023, to enhance “maritime cooperative activities” with like-minded nations in response to China’s expansive territorial claims in the South China Sea. Previous partners have included the United States, Japan, Australia, France, and Canada.
“We did not experience any untoward incidents, but there are still those shadowing us—as we had already expected,” said Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr., without explicitly naming China.
Brawner added that the idea for the joint exercise was conceived during a March meeting with his Indian counterpart.
Participating vessels from the Indian Navy included the guided missile destroyer INS Delhi, tanker INS Shakti, and corvette INS Kiltan. The Philippine side deployed the frigates BRP Miguel Malvar and BRP Jose Rizal.
In response, China’s Foreign Ministry reiterated its stance that maritime and territorial disputes should be resolved bilaterally, stating that "no third party should intervene."
President Marcos’ five-day visit to India is expected to focus on maritime security, as well as strengthening cooperation in defense, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture.
The South China Sea remains one of the world's most contested waterways, with overlapping claims by Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and China, which claims nearly the entire area. A 2016 international tribunal ruling invalidated Beijing's sweeping claims, but China has rejected the decision.
