Philippines' Marcos Arrives In India As Delhi, Manila Conduct Joint Drills In South China sea

Last Updated:August 04, 2025, 18:49 IST

Marcos arrived in New Delhi on Monday and was received by MoS Pabitra Margherita, as the two countries held joint naval drills in the disputed South China Sea.

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos arrives in Delhi. (MEA)

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos arrived in New Delhi for a state visit on Monday as the navies of India and the Philippines sailed together in the South China Sea and held military drills in the disputed waters.

The two-day trip, including three Indian Navy warships, began a day before Marcos arrived in India to hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu. Marcos said he would look to deepen maritime ties with India and seek cooperation on sectors including defence, pharmaceuticals and agriculture.

Marcos arrived in New Delhi on Monday and was received by Minister of State for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita. This is his first visit to India since becoming President of the Philippines. He is also scheduled to hold talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

India and the Philippines are also celebrating the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. The visit is an opportunity for both leaders to set the path for future bilateral cooperation and to engage on regional and international issues of mutual interest, according to the External Affairs Ministry.

Why Are The Joint Drills Significant?

The Philippines has conducted “maritime cooperative activities" with foreign navies since late 2023, including the US, Japan, Australia, France and Canada, as part of its push to counter China’s territorial claims in the disputed waters. This is the first time the Philippines Navy is conducting joint drills with India.

Indian Navy ships that took part included guided missile destroyer INS Delhi, tanker INS Shakti and corvette INS Kiltan. The Philippines deployed two frigates, BRP Miguel Malvar and BRP Jose Rizal. An Indian official told Reuters that the passage was in the West Philippine Sea and part of a bilateral exercise with Manila.

ALSO READ: India And Philippines Conduct Joint Sail, Naval Drill In Disputed South China Sea

Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner on Monday said that the joint naval sail and exercises had been successful and raised hopes of Filipino forces engaging with India’s military in more joint manoeuvres in the future.

In response, China accused Manila of “drawing in external countries to stir up trouble" in the South China Sea, and said the joint patrol “undermines regional peace and stability".

China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, overlapping with maritime zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. The waterway is a strategic shipping route where $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce takes place. Despite an international tribunal saying that China’s sweeping claims have no basis under international law, Beijing continues to enforce its claims.

(with inputs from agencies)

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