Securing partnerships amid adversity: India and the Philippines in the shadow of regional dynamics

EVEN a cursory look at the founding principles and values, mutual interests, and concerns shared between India and the Philippines would tell how promising and lasting this relationship can be. And yet, for decades, India-Philippine relations remained just what they were at the time of establishing diplomatic relations in 1949 — a promising relationship brimming with great potential! Both systemic and subsystemic factors played a role in denying Delhi and Manila stronger ties in the past.

That, however, has changed in recent years, especially with the launch of India’s Look East policy in 1992, rechristened the Act East policy in 2014. Despite their geographical distance, India and the Philippines sought to strengthen their partnership within the framework of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)-led mechanisms.

Through its Act East policy, India emphasizes strengthening economic and security ties with Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines. This policy framework positions India as a significant player in the Indo-Pacific region’s stability and security architecture. India’s IPOI (Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative) and Sagar (Security and Growth for All in the Region) are effective tools of engagement with Asean and the wider Indo-Pacific region.

As India and the Philippines celebrate 75 years of bilateral ties, they stand stronger together at the cusp of making qualitative leaps in their relationship. Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar’s upcoming visit to the Philippines, coupled with the formal start of the BrahMos missile supply, should be seen in that context.

The Philippines holds significant geopolitical importance due to its strategic location in the Indo-Pacific region, a thriving economy and complex geopolitical dynamics, especially concerning territorial disputes in the South China Sea (SCS) with China. In a strategically fluid and dynamic Indo-Pacific region, it becomes imperative for countries to diversify their strategic partnerships to protect their national interests more effectively, enhance security measures and foster growing economic prosperity.

Southeast Asia is increasingly turning into a focal point for great power competition due to simmering tensions in the SCS. China’s geographical proximity to these waters and its maritime territorial claims manifested through the self-proclaimed nine-dash line and systematically designed island reclamation and island militarization activities have exacerbated tensions by making the military presence of the United States and other regional stakeholders in the region a necessity. In view of the above, India’s role as a strategic partner becomes more prominent.

Last year in June, the two sides convened the Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation in New Delhi, co-chaired by the Philippines’ Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo and Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar. The meeting emphasized defense cooperation, maritime security and adherence to international law, notably referencing the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 arbitral award regarding the SCS.

This signaled a mutual commitment to resolving regional disputes peacefully and lawfully. Traditionally reliant on allies like the US, the Philippines finds it appealing to diversify its international partnerships and sees a strong partner in India, offering an alternative axis of cooperation and support.

This partnership is not only significant bilaterally but also within broader multilateral and mini-lateral forums like Asean, ARF, EAS, ADMM-plus, as well as the Quad, where India, along with other key partners of Manila — Japan, Australia and the US — plays an active role.

Military and defense cooperation are seemingly emerging as the cornerstone of the India-Philippines relationship. Such a collaboration enhances the Philippines’ defense capabilities and sends a strategic message about the evolving security landscape and the commitment of both nations to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.

Beyond defense, the economic and technological partnership between India and the Philippines is growing. India’s expertise in the field of information technology, space and pharmaceuticals aligns with the Philippines’ development priorities. These sectors present opportunities for greater collaboration, contributing to the Philippines’ economic diversification and resilience.

Moreover, India’s experience with digital innovation and financial inclusion can offer valuable insights to the Philippines, further strengthening the economic dimensions of their partnership. The Philippines, on the other hand, is emerging as an important trade partner for India in the Asean region.

The China factor looms large over India-Philippines relations. While Beijing’s assertive territorial claims in the SCS have put it at odds with the Philippines, its border incursions and strategic rivalry with India have led to tensions in the Himalayan region. China’s Belt and Road Initiative further demonstrates its ambition to play a predominant role in regional infrastructure and economic development, which poses both opportunities and challenges for its neighbors.

Looking at the SCS issue from the Philippine perspective, it is clear that barring perhaps Vietnam on occasion, no country has faced as much harassment at the hands of China as the Philippines. Recognizing the need to balance China’s assertiveness, both countries are prioritizing maritime cooperation, information sharing and defense engagements to protect a rules-based order in the SCS.

Diversifying its security and defense partnerships would not only reduce dependency on any single country but also empower the Philippines and India to navigate the complex interplay of regional strategic dynamics effectively.

It is only timely for the Philippines and India to sign a strategic partnership agreement that will not only benefit the two sides but also contribute to realizing the collective vision for a free, open, inclusive, peaceful and rules-based Indo-Pacific order. Amid swiftly changing regional complexities, the Delhi-Manila bonhomie, manifested through a strategic partnership agreement, can serve as a testament to a value-based partnership, serving as a beacon of stability and cooperation between the two democracies.

Dr. Rahul Mishra is a senior research fellow at the German-Southeast Asian Center of Excellence for Public Policy and Good Governance of Thammasat University in Thailand and associate professor at the Center for Indo-Pacific Studies of Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi. Neevia Kurup, an alumna of Universiti Malaya in Malaysia, is an expert on Asia-Europe relations, EU-Asean dynamics and Malaysian foreign policy, and Indo-Pacific politics.