India & the Philippines conduct 1st joint patrol in South China Sea

India and the Philippines jointly patrolled areas of the disputed South China Sea for the first time, staging a high-profile naval exercise in waters over which China claims it has sovereign rights.

Shadowed by Chinese forces

Philippine Armed Forces Chief of Staff Romeo Brawner described the two-day sail, which began on Aug. 3, as a success, expressing hopes for both nations’ forces to participate in more joint exercises in the future, AP News reported.

Asked if Chinese forces responded, he said, “We did not experience any untoward incident but we were still shadowed. We expected that already.”

The Philippine military said that it spotted two Chinese navy ships, including a guided-missile destroyer, roughly 25 nautical miles (46 km) away from a participating Philippine warship.

Meanwhile, the Chinese military’s Southern Theatre Command said that it had been conducting routine patrols in the South China Sea during the exercise.

China’s disputes with the Philippines

China claims virtually the entire South China Sea – a key global trade route along the borders of the Southeast Asian mainland – despite a 2016 international ruling asserting that it has no legal basis to do so.

With other nations like Malaysia also asserting historical claims, this has led to a series of tense confrontations in the past.

At a reception on Aug. 1, Brawner described the latest exercise as a “coordinated patrol” that is a “clear demonstration of our mutual resolve to safeguard freedom of navigation and uphold the law of the sea”, as quoted by Naval News.

He added, “As we stand watch over a region vital to global trade and security, we do not do so in isolation but in partnership with nations who share our values.”

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the Philippines has ramped up defence cooperation with its allies in recent years, conducting similar patrols to counter China’s claims with nations such as the U.S., Australia, Japan, France, New Zealand and Canada.

It has also deepened its defence ties with India, which has a separate land border dispute with China.

In 2022, the Philippines became the first international customer to receive the BrahMos missile system from India under a US$374.9 million (S$483.1 million) contract.

Drawing in external parties

Responding to the latest patrol, China’s Southern Theatre Command accused the Philippines of drawing in external parties to organise joint patrols that sabotage the region’s peace and stability.

The week before, China’s Defence Ministry had called the Philippines a “troublemaker”, saying it strategically associated itself with foreign powers to stir trouble in the contested waters.

“China never wavers in its resolve and will to safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and will take resolute countermeasures against any provocations by the Philippine side,” said Defence Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang at a news conference, as quoted by Euronews.

The territorial disputes also highlight a broader rivalry between China and the U.S., which does not claim any right to the trade route, but has backed smaller states in the dispute, including the Philippines.

Philippine President’s state visit to India

The naval drills came a day ahead of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos’s five-day state visit to India, where he is scheduled to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top officials.

Before his departure on Aug. 4, Marcos had praised the two countries for their “steadfastness in upholding international maritime law”.

He said this included the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, an international treaty entitling a country to an exclusive economic zone within 200 nautical miles (370 km) of its shores.

While in India, he is set to sign pacts relating to areas such as law, culture and technology, though all eyes will be on any potential defence agreements, SCMP observed.

Top image via Armed Forces of the Philippines/X