Manila: Four Indian Navy ships are set to make a goodwill visit to the Philippines this month as New Delhi aims to strengthen its defense and maritime cooperation with Manila, Indian Ambassador to the Philippines Shri Harsh Kumar Jain announced on Friday. Speaking at the Stratbase ADRI forum in Makati City, Jain highlighted the Indian Navy's engagement with Filipino counterparts through 'bilateral cooperation activities' to reinforce bonds with the Philippine Navy.
According to Philippines News Agency, the visit signifies the two nations' mutual commitment to maritime cooperation, ensuring freedom of navigation, and maintaining a rules-based order at sea. Jain emphasized the shared interests of India and the Philippines in defense-related matters and maritime security, stating, "Both our countries are strong proponents of adherence to rules-based order, and have a shared interest in a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region."
During the same forum, Jain expressed New Delhi's readiness to further fortify defense relations with Manila and support the modernization of its armed forces. The two countries are finalizing terms for service-to-service talks across their Navy, Air Force, and Army. Highlighting the importance of the maritime sector, Jain suggested expanding cooperation to include joint exercises focused on maritime security and disaster response.
The envoy noted India's extensive expertise, emphasizing the size of the Indian Armed Forces and its advanced military training institutions. Beyond the acquisition of BrahMos missile systems, India is eager to offer additional advanced defense platforms to the Philippines. "India is ready to provide other advanced defense platforms to the Philippines to bridge its capability gaps in all three domains of air, sea, and land, including critical areas of air defense, reconnaissance and surveillance, and domain awareness," stated Jain. He also expressed India's willingness to support the Philippines in developing a self-reliant defense posture through joint production, research and development, and facility development.
