BrahMos supersonic cruise missile with increased indigenous content and improved performance, successfully test-fired from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the coast of Odisha. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

Terming the BrahMos cruise missiles inducted by the Philippines as a “game changer”, which provides credible capabilities, Philippines envoy Josel F. Ignacio said India was a major source for the modernisation of the Philippines armed forces which was under way. “There is a renaissance in the relationship between India and the Philippines and they are rediscovering each other,” Mr. Ignacio said on Monday. They were keen on concluding the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), under negotiation, he said.

“It [the deal] is a great milestone for both countries. BrahMos is a game changer for the Philippines in that it confers credible defence and deterrent capabilities. For India, the significance is it is the first overseas export of the BrahMos and it is an affirmation of India’s rising capabilities and of its own indigenous defence industry. In a way, it expands India’s footprint overseas,” Mr. Ignacio said, speaking at the Observer Research Foundation.

In January 2022, the Philippines concluded a $375 million deal with India for three batteries of shore-based anti-ship variant of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, becoming the first export customer for the joint venture missile between India and Russia. The first batch of missiles was delivered this April.

Defence is one the most visible areas seeing a renaissance and catching widespread interest on both sides, the envoy noted, giving an overview of the bilateral relationship. Elaborating, he said, the cooperation was underpinned by a MoU on defence cooperation signed in 2006 and this was reinforced in 2017 by a MoU between the defence ministries on defence industry and logistics cooperation.

New dimension

“This opened a new dimension in the cooperation because this opened up equipment transfers and purchases that we are seeing now,” the envoy said. This MoU is further backed by an implementing arrangement concerning defence material and equipment that facilitates government-to-government procurement.

“The Philippines over the past few years has seen India as one of the major sources of modernisation of the armed forces,” Mr. Ignacio said. The Philippines armed forces are currently in phase-3, termed Horizin-3, modernisation and under this, he said, they were looking at ships, aircraft, radars and items that help boost their Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), defend entitlements and secure their Exclusive Economic Zone.

Explained | The BrahMos deal and India’s defence exports

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations between the two countries and the two sides are working on some high-profile visits to mark the occasion.

To a question on the India-China stand-off in eastern Ladakh that has been going on for the last four years, Mr. Ignacio said they were closely following the developments there, the recent military-level talks to de-escalate for withdrawal from certain parts. “In the end, in any part of the world observing what happens provides valuable lessons… The ultimate goal for any country is to resolve any dispute in a peaceful way, in a way that is in accordance with the law,” the envoy said. Both countries were watching each other’s own difficulties in the territorial sphere to draw lessons from them. “This certainly forms part of our own exchange of views with the Indian government to try to learn lessons and see how we can all profit towards a common goal,” he added.

The envoy said that in 2023 bilateral trade crossed the $3bn mark for the first time while the balance of trade was in India’s favour. India was among the top 15 trade partners for the Philippines in fiscal 2023. In this regard, he said, through the PTA under negotiation they hope to raise the trade and bring balance and diversification. “We want the PTA with India, we have similar negotiations with Europe,” he noted.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar (left) shakes hands with Philippines’ Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo after holding a joint press conference at the Sofitel Hotel in Manila on March 26, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AFP

India supports the Philippines’ sovereignty, said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Manila, in comments that sparked a response from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which called on “third countries” not to “interfere”.

Mr. Jaishankar’s visit to Manila on Tuesday, where he met Philippines President Bongbong Marcos and Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo, is part of a three-nation five-day tour to Singapore, the Philippines and Malaysia.

“I take this opportunity to firmly reiterate India’s support to the Philippines for upholding its national sovereignty,” said Mr. Jaishankar, reading his opening statement to the media during a joint press conference after talks with Mr. Manalo. He said that the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) was the “the constitution of the seas” and all parties “must adhere to it in its entirety, both in letter and in spirit”, in comments seen as aimed at China, whose Navy and Coast Guard have been frequently accused of violating sovereign waters of other countries and claiming islands. China’s actions have drawn protest from many Asian neighbours, including the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia in the South China Sea (SCS) region.

The External Affairs Minister also visited the Indian Coast Guard pollution-control ship ICGS Samudra Paheredar on Tuesday, that is on a port call in Manila until Thursday, and hailed maritime cooperation between the two countries. In a speech he gave on board the Indian ship docked at Manila’s South Harbour, Mr. Jaishankar said that the ship’s visit was “significant”, because it highlighted “shared challenges” that India and Philippines face on oceanic pollution, illegal fishing and protecting the environment in the region. He also underlined the need for “like-minded countries” in the Indo-Pacific region to enhance cooperation.

Mr. Jaishankar’s Manila visit came as tensions between the Philippines and Chinese navies rose to new levels over aggressive maritime moves by the Chinese Coast Guard against a Filipino ship meant to carry supplies to their troops aboard the BRP Sierra Madre ship in the Spratly Islands. On Monday, the Philippines Ministry of Foreign Affairs had summoned the Chinese envoy to protest the actions, including the Chinese Coast Guard ship’s physical blocking of the Philippines ship, firing it with a water cannon that injured three of its soldiers. The Chinese Coast Guard, meanwhile claimed that it was legitimately guarding “Chinese waters” from the “foreign vessel”.

Reacting sharply to Mr. Jaishankar’s comments in Manila within hours, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on India and the Philippines to “respect China’s territorial sovereignty”.

“Maritime disputes are issues between countries concerned. Third parties have no right to interfere whatsoever,” the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lin Jian said. “We urge relevant parties to squarely face the facts and truth on the South China Sea issue, and respect China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and the efforts of regional countries to keep the South China Sea peaceful and stable,” he added.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs did not respond to requests for a response to the Chinese MFA’s remarks. Apart from the current controversy, Beijing is understood to be watching India’s sale of Brahmos missiles to the Philippines very closely, deliveries for which are expected to be begin shortly.

During talks with Mr. Manalo, Mr. Jaishankar said he discussed other areas of growing cooperation between the two countries including trade, capacity-building in digital infrastructure, regional issues including the Indo-Pacific, Myanmar, the Ukraine war and cooperation in common fora including the UN and Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). He said he had briefed the Philippines Minister on Indian naval deployment in the Red Sea to counter threats from Houthi militia and piracy. He also highlighted rescue operations, including those where Indian naval personnel have helped Philippines nationals on board ships in distress including the MV True Confidence and MV Lila Norfolk.