Jaishankar made these comments during a productive discussion with his counterpart Enrique Manalo in Manila, particularly relevant amid the Philippines' maritime disagreement with China in the South China Sea

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar expressed India's strong support for the Philippines in defending its national sovereignty. He emphasized the desire to explore additional areas of collaboration, particularly in defense and security. Jaishankar made these comments during a productive discussion with his counterpart Enrique Manalo in Manila, particularly relevant amid the Philippines' maritime disagreement with China in the South China Sea.

"Warm and productive meeting with @SecManalo of Philippines. Wide-ranging discussion on advancing ties in political, defence, security & maritime cooperation, trade & investment, infrastructure, development cooperation, education, digital, technology, culture and consular domains," Jaishankar posted on X.

They discussed various global, regional, and multilateral topics such as the Indo-Pacific, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), West Asia, Ukraine, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the United Nations (UN).

"As two democracies committed to a rules-based order, look forward to intensifying our cooperation," he said. Addressing a joint press conference with Manalo, Jaishankar said, "I take this opportunity to firmly reiterate India's support to the Philippines for upholding its national sovereignty."

Jaishankar emphasized the importance of closer cooperation between India and the Philippines to influence the evolving global landscape. He highlighted that every nation has the right to protect and assert its national sovereignty in response to a query.

"That is something that we have also discussed," he added.

The minister noted a noticeable improvement in the bilateral relationship between India and the Philippines. When asked about India's intentions to enhance defence cooperation with the Philippines amidst developments in the South China Sea, Jaishankar emphasized evaluating such cooperation independently, not necessarily tied to specific circumstances.

"But it's natural today that two countries whose trust and comfort is growing so rapidly that we will look at various new areas of cooperation. And certainly defence and security is one of them," he said.

China asserts control over a large portion of the South China Sea, while the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan also have competing claims. Despite a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in favour of the Philippines, which stated that China's claim lacked legal basis under international law, China continues to deploy numerous coastguard vessels to patrol the area, asserting its sovereignty.

Manalo reiterated the Philippines' commitment to upholding international law and maritime regulations. He criticized China for attempting to obstruct Filipino ships from delivering supplies to its troops in the South China Sea.

"India and the Philippines have a very deep interest in ensuring a free open and inclusive Indo-Pacific Ocean and in this region. And it is in this context that we are having extensive discussions regularly on defence cooperation, and security cooperation, mainly also with a view to supporting an international rules-based order," Manalo said.

Jaishankar emphasized the importance of maritime security and safety for every country, noting that it holds particular significance for India. He highlighted that considering the nature of their relationship, it's natural to focus on defense and security matters. Additionally, Jaishankar underscored the broader context of India's partnership with the Philippines within the framework of engagement with the ASEAN region.

"As a nation deeply invested in this region, because of its Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific region, India follows all developments with great interest. We are strongly supportive of ASEAN centrality, cohesion, and unity," he said.

Jaishankar expressed confidence that as India and the Philippines approach the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations, there are many more opportunities for collaboration ahead.

(With Agency Inputs)