India and the Philippines have formally elevated their bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership during the State Visit of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to New Delhi from August 4 to 8. The visit coincided with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations and marked a significant shift in India’s engagement with Southeast Asia, particularly in the context of the South China Sea.
President Marcos was accompanied by 14 ministers, senior officials, and a large business delegation. The visit saw the adoption of a 2025–2029 Plan of Action covering cooperation across political, defence, security, maritime, economic, trade, investment, science and technology sectors. The most notable development was the first-ever joint naval exercise between India and the Philippines in the South China Sea, underscoring India’s growing strategic interest in securing maritime trade routes through these contested waters, which carry over $5 trillion in annual shipborne commerce.
India’s evolving posture in the South China Sea reflects a shift from cautious neutrality to a more assertive stance aligned with its Act East policy and Indo-Pacific vision. While not a claimant state, India views the region as part of the global commons and supports freedom of navigation, overflight, and legitimate commerce. With approximately 55 percent of India’s trade passing through the South China Sea and the Malacca Strait, the region remains central to India’s maritime strategy.
President Marcos expressed interest in deepening defence ties, including procurement of Indian defence equipment. The Philippines, comprising around 7,600 islands, follows an archipelagic defence model to safeguard its maritime territory. The Philippines Armed Forces, led by General Romeo Brawner Jr., have shown satisfaction with the Indo-Russian BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system and are exploring further acquisitions and joint collaborations with India to bolster coastal defence amid rising tensions with China.
The joint naval exercise in the West Philippine Sea from July 30 to August 4 was conceived during General Brawner’s visit to New Delhi in March. The Philippines has warned that even minor incidents in the South China Sea could escalate into a full-blown conflict with China, which claims nearly the entire region, overlapping with maritime zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. A 2016 international arbitral tribunal ruling under UNCLOS rejected China’s sweeping claims and upheld the Philippines’ position, though Beijing has refused to accept the verdict.
India’s increased naval presence in the South China Sea, alongside the Philippines, signals a strategic recalibration that places New Delhi as a stabilising force amid growing friction within ASEAN and between ASEAN and China. The deployment of Indian naval assets in these waters has added complexity to China’s regional calculus, reinforcing India’s role as a responsible maritime power.
In a bid to strengthen people-to-people ties, President Marcos announced visa-free entry for Indian nationals to the Philippines, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi reciprocated with free e-visas for Filipino tourists. Direct air connectivity between Delhi and Manila is set to begin on October 1, enhancing tourism and cultural exchange during the ASEAN-India Year of Tourism.
