India and the Philippines vowed to bolster defense, trade and overall bilateral relations to “stabilize the situation in Indo-Pacific", the top diplomats of two countries said on Thursday.
The remarks came during the fifth Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) in New Delhi on Thursday.
Jaishankar and Manalo said that there was a “strong convergence” between the two countries on key regional issues concerned the Indo-Pacific.
In his opening remarks, Jaishankar said that both the countries understood the importance of a strong defense cooperation, the need to stabilize the Indo-Pacific, the importance of respecting rule of law and promoting inclusive multilateralism.
Last year, Philippines became the first foreign nation to order the Brahmos supersonic missile, which has been jointly developed by Russia and India. The deal is valued at $375 million.
The Indian Foreign Minister also noted that the respective domestic agenda of two countries was focussed on “inclusion” and empowering businesses to attain overall economic growth.
For his part, Manalo said that Philippines and India have “converging interests, especially our commitment to a rules-based order governed by international law and by principles of equity and justice”.
He also highlighted that both the nations have similar positions on key global and developmental issues and have a history of cooperation on multilateral forums such as G-77 and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
Manila, a treaty ally of Washington, has been involved in a maritime dispute with Beijing in the South China Sea. In April, Manila accused Beijing of “aggressive tactics” after an incident involving Chinese and Philippine coast guard vessels almost led to a collision.
Beijing claims sovereignty over the entire South China Sea and has refused to abide by a 2016 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) ruling which adjudicated in favour of Manila.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a grouping of ten southeast Asian states, and Beijing are currently negotiating a ‘Code of Conduct’ for the South China Sea.
New Delhi has backed Manila’s stance in the maritime dispute with Beijing, in line with its advocacy of adhering to UNCLOS in Indo-Pacific.
India is Priority Partner for the Philippenes
Jaishankar said that the “productive and comprehensive meeting” with Manalo covered areas such as defense, maritime security, counter-terrorism, transnational crimes as far as bilateral security cooperation was concerned.
The two top diplomats also discussed ways to expand trade and investment ties, development cooperation, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, agriculture as well as science and technology matters.
Manalo said that New Delhi was a “priority” partner for Manila in the realm of science and technology, laying a particular emphasis on bolstering space cooperation between the two nations.
He said that the consultations would help Manila in realizing “full potential” of bilateral ties in a range of areas, including bolstering people-to-people contacts.