India and Philippines strengthen ties amid South China Sea tensions

India and the Philippines have announced plans to commence negotiations on a bilateral preferential trade agreement, while also vowing to intensify their defence cooperation in the wake of China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea

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These decisions came during extensive talks between Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Philippine counterpart, Enrique A Manalo, signalling an upward trajectory in defence and security ties between the two nations.

The two countries also emphasised the need to implement the 2016 United Nations (UN) arbitration court’s South China Sea verdict. This ruling, awarded in favour of Manila in its case against China’s territorial claims, has been dismissed by Beijing despite global pressure. The South China Sea, a vital source of hydrocarbons, has become a hotbed of international disputes with China’s sweeping claims of sovereignty countered by several regional countries, including Vietnam, the Philippines, and Brunei.