CAMP AGUINALDO, Quezon City – In a symbolic and strategic show of growing maritime cooperation, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Indian Navy marked a significant diplomatic and defense milestone during a cocktail reception hosted aboard the Indian naval tanker INS Shakti at Pier 15, Port Area, Manila, on July 31.
The event, attended by AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo S Brawner Jr, celebrated not only the port call of the Indian Navy but also the upcoming first-ever joint maritime cooperative activity between the Philippine Navy and Indian Navy in the West Philippine Sea.
“This is more than a ceremonial gesture,” General Brawner emphasized. “The presence of INS Shakti in Manila sends a powerful signal of solidarity, strength in partnership, and the energy of cooperation between two vibrant democracies in the Indo-Pacific.”
General Brawner lauded the deepening defense ties between the two nations and reaffirmed the shared commitment to maritime security, regional stability, and a rules-based international order in one of the world's most geopolitically sensitive regions.
The visit of INS Shakti marks a strengthening of defense diplomacy as India continues to expand its naval engagements in Southeast Asia. The joint activity will be the first of its kind in the West Philippine Sea—a region increasingly central to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Photo by PFC Carmelotes PN(M) / PAOAFP
