Eye on Beijing, Delhi & Manila unite in strategic partnership | India News
NEW DELHI: India and the Philippines upgraded their relationship to a strategic partnership with focus on expanding defence, security and maritime cooperation, as PM Modi on Tuesday hosted President Ferdinand Marcos Jr for bilateral talks.The two sides signed 13 agreements and MoUs, which included finalisation of terms of reference for cooperation between all three wings of the armed forces, as Modi expressed support for freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific in line with international laws.Amid protests by China against joint patrolling by India and the Philippines in the South China Sea (SCS), both sides expressed concern over “coercive and aggressive actions” there that impact regional peace and stability and called upon relevant parties to exercise self-restraint and commit to peaceful and constructive means to resolve and manage disputes. According to a joint statement, the leaders underscored that the final and binding 2016 arbitral award on the SCS was a significant milestone and the basis for peacefully resolving disputes in accordance with international law. The award had refuted China’s expansive claims on SCS waters in its dispute with Manila. In 2023, India had for the first time explicitly called upon China to abide by the ruling and followed it up with a similar assertion in a joint statement with Quad a year later.Among other key takeaways from the meeting was adoption of terms of reference for negotiations for a preferential trade agreement and signing of an agreement for mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. The leaders also adopted a plan of action (2025-2029) for implementation of the strategic partnership. India also announced a gratis e-tourist visa facility for Filipino nationals for a period of one year.Modi also thanked Marcos, who has been looking to ramp up defence and security cooperation with countries like India and Japan amid increasing tensions with China in the SCS, for a strong condemnation of the Pahalgam terrorist attack. “As maritime nations, maritime cooperation between the two countries is both natural and necessary. Today, when the President is in India, three ships of the Indian Navy are participating in a naval exercise in the Philippines for the first time. India’s hydrography ship is also involved in this,” Modi said, adding that India and Philippines are friends by choice, and partners by destiny.The leaders called for expeditious conclusion of negotiations for the preferential trade agreement (PTA) for promotion of mutual trade and Manila expressed interest in procuring more defence equipment from India, apart from the BrahMos missile defence systems India is already supplying to it. For India, helping Manila build up its defence capabilities is also a way of getting back at Beijing, a major defence supplier to Pakistan.The visit by Marcos, who backed interoperability between the armed forces of the two countries, coincided with India’s first joint patrol of the SCS with the Philippines. The PLA accused the Philippines of “rallying an external country to interfere in the SCS by organising so-called joint patrols which undermine regional peace and stability”. It did not name India.The visit by Marcos also took place ahead of a likely visit to China by Modi later this month for the SCO summit. Talks are also on for a possible visit by Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi to India this month.
