Indo-Philippines naval exercises in South China Sea spook Beijing

India and the Philippines on Monday concluded their first joint naval exercises in the disputed South China Sea, much to the annoyance of Beijing. The two-day Maritime Cooperative Activity was conducted inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and marked a significant step forward in defence cooperation between Manila and New Delhi.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (or AFP) lauded the successful execution of the first bilateral MCA. The statement added that the exercise laid the groundwork for sustained maritime collaboration in the years ahead.

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So how did China respond to the naval exercises?

AFP chief Romeo Brawner Jr. said that though there was no untoward incident, they were still "shadowed”. But, he did not elaborate how.

On the Indian side, three naval vessels - the guided missile destroyer INS Delhi, tanker INS Shakti and corvette INS Kiltan - took part in the exercises. Whereas the Philippines deployed two frigates, BRP Miguel Malvar and BRP Jose Rizal.

Brawner declared the exercises emerged from discussions held with General Anil Chauhan, the Indian Armed Forces chief, during the March 2025 Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi and the Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore in June.

Beijing has repeatedly laid claims to nearly the entire South China Sea despite a 2016 ruling that found its sweeping claims had no basis under international law. Furthermore, China’s Foreign Ministry in a statement said that territorial and maritime disputes should be resolved between the countries directly involved and no third party should intervene.

The joint exercise coincided with Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos’ departure for a five-day state trip to India. Marcos is looking to deepen maritime ties between the nations as well as seek cooperation on sectors including defence, pharmaceuticals and agriculture.