India and Philippines Strengthen Defence Ties Amid Rising Tensions in South China Sea

India and the Philippines are set to conduct a comprehensive review of their defence and strategic partnership on Wednesday. The meeting will focus on enhancing military association, especially in the context of China's aggressive maneuvers in the South China Sea. Discussions will include the bilateral defence relationship and regional security. India recently supplied BrahMos missiles to the Philippines as part of a growing partnership. India's Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane leads the talks alongside Filipino Senior Under Secretary Irineo Cruz Espino.

India and the Philippines are poised for an in-depth review of their defence and strategic partnership this Wednesday, focusing on the enhancement of military ties. This comes amid mutual concerns over China's aggressive stance in the South China Sea.

The high-level discussions will be held at the fifth meeting of the India-Philippines Joint Defence Cooperation Committee in Manila. Officials highlighted that bilateral defence ties and the regional security situation will dominate the agenda.

In recent years, the defence relationship between the two nations has seen significant growth. This was underscored in April when India delivered the first batch of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines, following a USD 375 million deal signed over two years ago. The Indian delegation will be led by Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane, while the Filipino team will be headed by Senior Under Secretary in the Ministry of National Defence Irineo Cruz Espino. The backdrop to the meeting is the escalating tensions between China and the Philippines, fueled by a recent maritime clash.