"We Firmly Support Philippines In Upholding Its National Sovereignty": EAM Jaishankar In Manila

External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, who is on a formal visit to Manila, said on Tuesday that India firmly supports the Philippines in upholding its national sovereignty and will continue to further enhance cooperation in various fields, including defence and security.

"We firmly support the Philippines in upholding its national sovereignty. So I think our position is very clear. Now, regarding defence cooperation, you need to look at cooperation at its whole merits. It is not necessary to await the particular situation but it's natural today, whose trust and comfort are growing so rapidly, that we would look at various and new areas of cooperation and certainly defence and security," EAM said while addressing a press conference with the Philippines Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Enrique Manalo.

 "In my own statement, we make three points very clear on that. We regard Clause 1982 as very important, we regarded it as the constitution of the seas. Two, we believe that all parties must adhere to it as I said its entirety, both in the latter and spirit," he added. EAM Jaishankar also stressed India's focus on maritime security and highlighted that the Philippines and India are both important maritime nations and are making exceptional commitments to global shipping.

"We are both important maritime nations. We're not only important maritime nations. I think as the secretary pointed out, we are at two ends in the manner of speaking of the Indo Pacific. Not exactly ends, but let's say Philippines is in the middle. We are at one end. It's also a fact that we are two nations who make a very exceptional commitment to global shipping. So every country has an interest in over maritime security, in maritime safety, in our case, probably it is more than many other countries normally would have," he said.

 "We have ourselves started exercises last year for the first time between India, naval exercises between India and the ASEAN. So there's a lot. I mean, this is an area where actually our cooperation has just begun. And what the maritime dialogue is intended to do is actually to explore what more we could do. A good example is this coast guard vessel which has come into port in Manila," he added.

Additionally, Philippines Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Enrique Manalo reaffirmed that India and the Philippines have a strong interest in ensuring a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific and are discussing the issue on a regular basis.

"India and the Philippines have a very deep interest in ensuring a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific Ocean. And it's on this region. And it is in this context that we are having extensive discussions regularly on defense cooperation, and security cooperation, mainly also with a view to supporting an international rules-based order. And if I could just follow up a bit on what was said. We have already engaged in a number of training and joint defense committee meetings in order to see where we can bolster our cooperation with exchange views," he said.

 "Not only we have exchange views and regional security developments, as well as various activities in the context of our defense engagement plan," he added. Meanwhile, the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs, in a statement said that Manila conveyed its "strong protest against the aggressive actions" undertaken by China's Coast Guard and Chinese maritime militias against the Philippine mission near the Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. The department said it has also instructed its mission in Beijing to lodge a formal complaint over the incident.

The move comes a day after Philippines' National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano said the confrontation that injured three Filipino soldiers caused severe damage to the Unaizah May 4 vessel. Jaishankar arrived in Manila after paying an official visit to Singapore and will visit Malaysia after the Philippines.

Jaishankar is on an official visit to these countries at the invitation of his counterparts, according to an official release of the Ministry of External Affairs. The visit of the EAM spanning five days from March 23-27 will focus on enhancing bilateral relations with the three countries and will provide an opportunity for engagement on regional issues of mutual concern. (ANI)