Philippines and India hold first maritime talks – are territorial rows with China at play?

The Philippines and India have agreed to explore naval collaborations during their inaugural maritime dialogue, with both countries reaffirming their commitment to a rules-based international order amid their ongoing territorial disputes with China.

Analysts view the talks as part of Manila’s push to expand its defence partnerships beyond its traditional allies and New Delhi’s desire to increase its regional clout as it manages its border dispute with Beijing.

On Friday, Philippine and Indian officials concluded their inaugural Track 1 maritime dialogue in Manila, which followed a series of engagements between both sides to strengthen maritime cooperation, including the fifth India-Philippines Joint Defence Cooperation Committee in September.

India and the Philippines reaffirmed their commitment to “multilateralism and the rules-based international order” and “exchanged perspectives on prevailing maritime challenges and discussed ways to enhance maritime cooperation in furthering a conducive environment for mutual growth and global well-being,” the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The statement also notes that both parties “reached an understanding to look further into navy and coastguard cooperation”.

On the legal front, both countries agreed to uphold the importance of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in settling maritime disputes among countries and the 2016 arbitration award at The Hague, which ruled in favour of the Philippines in its territorial dispute against China and deemed Beijing’s historical nine-dash-line claim over nearly the entire South China Sea as invalid.