(C) Daily Kos
This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered.
 . . . . . . . . . .



Guess Who's Making a Port Call in Manila? [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2024-05-22  

Here’s an interesting new geopolitical development in the current standoff between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea. From Newsweek:

Three Indian Navy warships arrived in the Philippines on Monday amid rising tensions in the contested South China Sea.

The guided-missile destroyer INS Delhi, fleet tanker INS Shakti, and anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kiltan pulled into Manila as part of the Indian Eastern Fleet's operational deployment to Southeast Asia, which included port calls in Malaysia and Singapore.

The visit comes as both India and the Philippines face increasing maritime pressure from China. The Philippines and China are engaged in a territorial dispute over the South China Sea, while India contends with Chinese influence in its neighborhood and there are ongoing border tensions.

…

The arrival of the Indian warships follows the recent delivery of the first batch of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Manila, which has called the weapons a "game-changer."

The transfer was part of a nearly $375 million deal signed two years ago, aimed at equipping the Philippine Marines with anti-ship variant of the missile.

...

India's involvement in the region is also seen as part of its broader "Act East" policy, which aims to strengthen ties with Southeast Asian nations. Sripathi Narayanan, a defense analyst in New Delhi, told the South China Morning Post that India's relationships in the region have improved significantly since the launch of this policy​​.

As China continues to assert its maritime claims, regional players like India and the Philippines are undergoing ambitious military modernization programs and strengthening alliances with the U.S. and other partners​​.

India's membership in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, alongside the United States, Japan and Australia, further underscores New Delhi's aim to play a greater role in regional security.

[END]
---
[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/5/22/2242215/-Guess-Who-s-Making-a-Port-Call-in-Manila?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=latest_community&pm_medium=web

Published and (C) by Daily Kos
Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified.

via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/