India and Philippines strengthen defence ties during Defence Secretary Aramane's Manila visit

Manila: Philippines Defence Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. highlighted the need to create a "great net" that fosters regional stability and security during his meeting with visiting Indian Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane, the country's Department of National Defense (DND) stated on Thursday.

The meeting held on Wednesday marked another step towards deepening defence cooperation between the Philippines and India, the Department mentioned.

"Secretary of National Defense (SND) Teodoro emphasised the importance of strengthening the partnership between the two countries, particularly in upholding the rule of law in the region. The Defense Chief also underscored the Philippines' commitment to a Self-Reliant Defence Posture, with a particular focus on supply chain resilience as a critical component of the country's defence strategy. He also welcomed further opportunities for military-to-military engagements and collaborations," it stated.

Appreciating the visit of the Indian delegation to the Philippines, which he said underscored the mutual commitment of both countries to deepen relations, Teodoro stressed the necessity of engaging in dialogue with "like-minded nations" to build a framework for cooperation built on universally accepted principles of international law.

The Philippines Defence Secretary is scheduled to meet Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) to be held in November in Lao People's Democratic Republic which would further reinforce the bilateral defence relationship between the two nations.

Secretary Aramane, while commending the Philippines for its strong adherence to the rule of law and expressing the desire to enhance defence ties through the sharing of experiences and technologies, also extended an invitation to Teodoro to visit India for ministerial-level talks, highlighting that 2024 marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

On Wednesday, Aramane co-chaired the fifth meeting of India-Philippines Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) in Manila along with his counterpart Irineo Cruz Espino, the Senior Undersecretary at the Ministry of National Defence of Philippines.

"The Defence Secretary appreciated the Self Reliance Defence Posture Act of the Philippines government for modernising its Armed Forces. He highlighted that India has also laid out a similar vision for 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'. Under this vision, the Indian defence Industry is continuously enhancing its manufacturing capabilities and is exporting equipment to the world," the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

The Defence Secretary invited the Philippines to partner with the Indian defence industry in co-development and co-production of equipment. The Philippines also invited investments in long-term equity partnership towards promoting assured supply chains. It acknowledged and appreciated India’s functioning and proven template of defence Industry indigenisation.

"Both sides affirmed the commitment to support each other to achieve the goal of self-reliance in defence production. They appreciated the operationalisation of White Shipping Information Exchange and opening of defence wing at Embassy of India, Manila in near future," the Ministry mentioned.