THE Philippine and Indian navies held a joint sail or maritime cooperative activity (MCA) in the West Philippine Sea in the South China Sea, the first for the two countries, Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr said yesterday.
Brawner said no untoward incident was reported during the two-day activity that started on Sunday, except for the “expected” shadowing.
“So far the result is positive. We have met our objectives for the exercise,” he said in an interview with reporters at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City before the departure of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr for a state visit to India.
“This is the first time in the history that we held a joint sail with the Indian Navy,” he also said adding he is looking forward to more exercises or activities with the Indian military.
The joint sail involved five ships — three from the Indian Navy and two from the Philippine Navy.
“We did not experience untoward incidents but there was shadowing. We expected that already,” he said without naming the country of origin of the ships that shadowed the MCA.
A military statement said two Chinese Navy ships — a destroyer and a frigate — were seen some 10 to 30 nautical miles from the location of the ships involved in the MCA on Sunday.
China has shadowed MCAs conducted by the Philippines with other countries like the United States and Japan.
Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, the Navy’s spokesman for the West Philippine, said India’s decision to conduct the MCA with the Philippines further shows that the “international community supports our stand” to assert Philippine rights in the West Philippine Sea.
“With or without foreign partners, we’re already standing up to our rights,” he also said.
Philippine Ambassador to India Jose Francisco Ignacio said the Philippines and India remain committed to the promotion of maritime security, the rule of law and the principle of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.
In an interview in India, a copy of which was released by the Radio Television Malacañang yesterday, Ignacio said three Indian Navy vessels sailed to the Philippines to participate in the joint exercise.
He was referring to the Indian vessels INS Delhi (D61), a guided missile destroyer; INS Kiltan (P30), an anti-submarine corvette; and INS Shakti (A57), a fleet tanker that docked in Manila for a port visit earlier this week.
Ignacio said that in conducting the joint patrol exercises, the Philippines and India convey the message to the world that the two nations “give importance to maritime security, and the principles of a free and open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.” – With Jocelyn Reyes
