Indian Navy's missile destroyer, corvette and stealth frigate reach Philippines and Singapore wargames in China's backyard
Live Events
Joint drills planned with Philippines
Simbex exercise underway with Singapore
Defence ties with ASEAN countries
(You can now subscribe to our
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel
Three Indian Navy ships have reached Manila while a fourth is taking part in joint exercises with the Singapore Navy , as part of India's operational deployment to Southeast Asia amid growing regional tensions. The deployment comes at a time when China's actions in the Indo-Pacific continue to draw international concern.The Indian Navy has stepped up its presence in Southeast Asia with multiple ship deployments aimed at strengthening maritime partnerships. The move aligns with India's broader strategy of regional engagement in the Indo-Pacific, especially as China asserts influence across strategic waters.The guided-missile destroyer INS Delhi , the anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kiltan, and the fleet tanker INS Shakti have docked in Manila. Rear Admiral Susheel Menon, commander of the Eastern Fleet and leader of the task group, told TOI that the Indian and Philippine navies share a common objective of maintaining regional security.'India and the Philippines share a mutual interest in maintaining regional stability and enhancing maritime security,' he said.He added that such visits were important for building understanding and trust between like-minded maritime forces.A bilateral naval exercise between India and the Philippines is expected to include joint manoeuvres and communication protocols. The drills aim to improve preparedness, build mutual trust, and enhance operational synergy in the maritime domain.Meanwhile, stealth frigate INS Satpura is participating in the 32nd edition of the bilateral naval exercise Simbex with the Republic of Singapore Navy. An officer quoted by TOI said the exercise involves advanced naval operations such as air defence drills, cross-deck helicopter flights, aerial and surface targeting, coordinated manoeuvres, and VBSS (Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure) procedures.INS Satpura's participation marks yet another chapter in the strong and long-standing maritime partnership between India and Singapore.The Navy's deployment follows a $375 million agreement signed in January 2022 to supply the Philippines with three BrahMos supersonic cruise missile coastal batteries. India is also holding talks with other ASEAN countries, including Indonesia and Vietnam, for potential defence exports.Besides the jointly developed BrahMos missile, India is offering the indigenous Akash air defence missile system. The Akash system can intercept a variety of aerial threats, including hostile aircraft, helicopters, drones, and subsonic cruise missiles, within a 25-kilometre range.India's latest naval deployments signal a growing effort to build trust and interoperability with key partners in Southeast Asia. As strategic competition intensifies in the Indo-Pacific, India is strengthening its maritime presence and defence cooperation across the region.(With inputs from TOI)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
16 minutes ago
- Hans India
Port call helps in strengthening India-Philippines maritime ties
Visakhapatnam: As part of the ongoing operational deployment to South East Asia, Indian Naval Ships INS Delhi (guided missile destroyer), INS Shakti (fleet tanker), and INS Kiltan (anti-submarine warfare corvette) of the Eastern Fleet, concluded their port call at Manila, Philippines. The ships, under the Command of Rear Admiral Susheel Menon, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet (FOCEF), on departure engaged in bilateral maritime exercise with the Philippine Navy ships on August 3 and 4. The FOCEF called on senior leaders of the Philippines, including Rear Admiral Joe Anthony C Orbe, Commander Philippine Fleet, Lt Gen Jimmy D Larida, Vice Chief of Staff Armed Forces of Philippines, Ignacio B. Madriaga, Undersecretary for Strategic Assessment and Planning and Vice Admiral Edger Ybanez, Deputy Commandant for Operations Philippines Coast Guard, underscored the growing strategic convergence between the two maritime nations and reflected a shared vision for a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific during the high-level interactions. The engagements reaffirmed the commitment of both the sides, upholding a rules-based international order and strengthening maritime collaboration. A deck reception hosted onboard INS Shakti provided an opportunity for further interaction among dignitaries including Ambassador of India to Philippines Harsh Kumar Jain, and senior officials from the Philippine Navy and government. The event served to foster and enhance warmth and mutual goodwill between India–Philippines ties. Professional exchanges including cross deck visits, subject matter expert exchanges and operational planning were a key element of the visit that allowed the exchange of best practices, strengthened mutual understanding and reinforced shared commitment to maritime cooperation for a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific. A bilateral maritime exercise conducted at sea demonstrated high levels of coordination through tactical manoeuvres, and communication drills, further enhancing operational synergy between the two navies. The ships were also opened for visitors, welcoming personnel from the Philippine Navy, government officials, students, and members of the Indian community. These interactions promoted maritime awareness and highlighted the Indian Navy's professionalism and technological capability. Indian Navy personnel visited the Friendship Home Father Luis Amigó Orphanage in Manila, and spent time with children. Friendly sports events between personnel of both navies brought an informal yet impactful dimension to the visit. These activities nurtured camaraderie, team spirit, mutual respect and assisted in building trust and people-to-people ties that go beyond the uniform. The port call to the Philippines marked a significant milestone in strengthening India–Philippines maritime partnership. Through high-level diplomacy, operational engagement, cultural exchanges, and community outreach, the Indian Navy reaffirmed its role as a dependable and cooperative maritime partner, committed to promoting peace, stability, and shared progress in the Indo-Pacific.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
Inaugural India-New Zealand defence strategic dialogue held in Delhi
The inaugural edition of India-New Zealand Defence Strategic Dialogue was held here on Tuesday with an aim to discuss security perspectives and further bolster bilateral cooperation, officials said. The meeting was co-chaired by Joint Secretary (International Cooperation), defence ministry, Amitabh Prasad and Head of International Branch, Ministry of Defence, New Zealand, Kathleen Pearce. "Both nations expressed satisfaction at the ongoing defence cooperation and identified means to enhance the existing areas of collaboration, especially in the fields of training, capability building, defence industry, maritime security and multinational cooperation," the Indian defence ministry said. The co-chairs also articulated steps in the direction of emerging areas of cooperation and issues pertaining to global commons, officials said. "The Indian side complimented New Zealand for its successful command of CTF-150 in which five Indian Navy personnel were also deputed as staff. Both sides also discussed ways to build up ongoing White Shipping Information Exchange towards enhancement of information sharing," the defence ministry said in a statement. India-New Zealand Defence Strategic Dialogue was constituted under an MoU signed between the two countries in March 2025, a significant milestone in intensifying defence relations. India and New Zealand engagements span a wide spectrum of cooperation political, defence and security collaboration, capacity building and education. These developments reflect mutual trust, shared democratic values, the deep-rooted people-to-people ties and a mutual love for cricket that binds both nations. As part of the official visit to India, Pearce also called on Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh in New Delhi on August 4. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
Foreign firms' profit used to finance terror, go swadeshi instead: CM Yogi
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday urged people to use 'swadesh' or local products and warned that money spent on foreign goods will be used in promoting terrorism, religious conversion, and to hit India's economic stability. Stating that 'swadeshi' was necessary for economic self-reliance and prosperity, Adityanath said: 'Adopting Swadeshi is the need of the hour. If our money stays with our own craftsmen and artisans, it will lead to growth and prosperity and also help increase per capita income. But, if this money goes to foreign hands, it could be used against the country — in the form of terrorism, religious conversions, and disturbances to destabilize India.' He was speaking at an event in Aligarh where he also appealed to people to give locally made products as gifts to their loved ones during the upcoming festivals. The CM's remarks come in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Vocal for Local' campaign amid the tariff threat by US President Donald Trump. The chief minister also unveiled development projects worth over Rs 957 crore for Aligarh. The key initiatives included a drinking water restructuring scheme, a forensic science lab, a new degree college in Atrauli, a 900-kiloliter water reservoir, and the widening and beautification of the Atrauli–Railway Station road. He praised the country's military self-reliance and added that Aligarh is emerging as a hub for drone and hardware manufacturing, creating jobs and boosting prosperity for local artisans. The chief minister said the Defence Corridor, launched in 2018, is now producing advanced weapons like the world-class BrahMos missile, strengthening India's defence capabilities. Citing Operation
