India firmly supports the Philippines in safeguarding its national sovereignty and aims to explore novel avenues of collaboration, including in defence and security, stated External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday, at a time when maritime tensions between the Southeast Asian nation and China in the South China Sea has taken new heights.
Jaishankar's remarks followed a constructive discussion with his counterpart Enrique Manalo in Manila.
"Warm and productive meeting with @SecManalo of Philippines. Wide-ranging discussion on advancing ties in political, defence, security & maritime cooperation, trade & investment, infrastructure, development cooperation, education, digital, technology, culture and consular domains," tweeted Jaishankar.
Warm and productive meeting with @SecManalo of Philippines.
Wide ranging discussion on advancing ties in political, defence, security & maritime cooperation, trade & investment, infrastructure, development cooperation, education, digital, technology, culture and consular… pic.twitter.com/NLf557FFs3
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (Modi Ka Parivar) (@DrSJaishankar) March 26, 2024
The dialogue encompassed global, regional, and multilateral topics such as the Indo-Pacific, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), West Asia, Ukraine, Non-Aligned Movement, and the UN.
"As two democracies committed to a rules-based order, look forward to intensifying our cooperation," he remarked.
Addressing a joint press conference with Manalo, Jaishankar affirmed, "I take this opportunity to firmly reiterate India's support to the Philippines for upholding its national sovereignty. As the world changes, it is essential that India and the Philippines cooperate more closely to shape the emerging world."
Responding to queries regarding India's plans to expand defence cooperation amid developments in the South China Sea, Jaishankar remarked, "You need to look at that cooperation on its own merits. It is not necessarily linked to a particular situation. But it's natural today that two countries whose trust and comfort are growing rapidly that we will look at various new areas of cooperation. And certainly defence and security is one of them."
China's recent activities in the South China Sea were addressed by Manalo, who accused China of hindering Filipino ships from supplying its troops.
India and the Philippines share a deep interest in ensuring a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific Ocean, noted Manalo, emphasising their ongoing discussions on defence and security cooperation to support an international rules-based order.
Jaishankar reiterated the significance of maritime security and safety for every country, highlighting India's particular interest in this domain.
"As our relationship progresses, as I pointed out it was natural to look at defence and security," Jaishankar concluded, expressing confidence in the promising future of the partnership between India and the Philippines as they approach the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
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