PH, India eyeing stronger defense ties

Philippine Coast Guard personnel (inset) welcome the arrival on Monday of Indian Coast Guard ship Samudra Paheredar, coinciding with the visit to the country of India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar last month. The Philippines and India are seeking to strengthen defense and trade ties. (INQUIRER / MARIANNE BERMUDEZ)

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and India plan to pursue deeper bilateral defense relations, the Department of National Defense (DND) announced on Monday.

According to the DND, India Minister of External Affairs H.B. Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, during his visit to the Philippines, affirmed India’s commitment to a rules-based international order and Indo-Pacific peace in a meeting with Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.

“In pursuing deeper defense and military relations, both officials agreed to convene multi-level dialogue mechanisms, conduct practical cooperative activities focused on capability development, and increase education and training exchanges,” said the DND.

 “As part of such efforts, both sides also agreed to promote collaboration among defense industries, enhance mobility and logistics cooperation, as well as explore investments on emerging technologies, cooperation on space domain awareness, and potential partnership on joint research and development (R&D),” it added.

The DND said Jaishankar emphasized the need to enhance the two countries’ closer cooperation on maritime domain awareness to address common security challenges. 

Meanwhile,Teodoro highlighted the possibility of cooperation between the Philippines and India on climate change mitigation to help secure vulnerable internal and external supply chains.

“Both officials looked forward to more robust defense and military engagements, particularly the conduct of ministerial-level meetings,” the DND said.