India's first Joint Naval Patrol with Philippines in South China Sea signals growing pushback against China's aggression

India has recently deployed its Eastern Fleet flotilla to the South China Sea, marking a significant escalation in the region's tense geopolitical landscape.

The deployment features India's first-ever joint maritime patrol with the Philippines in these hotly contested waters, signalling a clear strategic push against China's growing influence, as reported by the US Naval Institute.

The flotilla, including the guided-missile destroyer INS Mysore (D 60), the anti-submarine corvette INS Kiltan (D 30), and the replenishment vessel INS Shakti (A 57), docked at the Port of Manila for goodwill activities ahead of the planned cooperative maritime operations.

This unprecedented naval cooperation with the Philippines comes amid India's expanding role as a security partner in Southeast Asia and, more specifically, its open backing of Manila's military modernisation efforts in the face of Chinese assertiveness.

The US Naval Institute reports that Philippine Navy Captain John Alcos emphasised the importance of these activities, noting the strengthening of a "robust maritime relationship" between the two navies. However, operational specifics remain classified, likely to obscure the growing anti-China agenda behind the joint patrols.

India's move to team up with the Philippines in the South China Sea is a calculated effort to counter China's expansive territorial claims. Historically, the South China Sea has been a flashpoint, with China aggressively pushing its so-called "nine-dash line" claims, encroaching on the sovereign waters of neighbouring states like the Philippines.

The US Naval Institute highlights that this joint maritime cooperative activity goes beyond routine drills; it aims at force interoperability and sends a pointed message of support to the Philippines amid their ongoing territorial dispute with China.

Notably, India joins other major players like the US, Australia, Japan, Canada, and France in forming a coalition that challenges China's dominance in the South China Sea, as reported by the US Naval Institute. This growing bloc not only militarises the region but also undermines any possibility of peaceful resolution by ratcheting up tensions.

The US Naval Institute also points out that this development coincides with Philippine President Bongbong Marcos' upcoming visit to India, further solidifying defence ties. India's 2022 sale of BrahMos supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles to the Philippine Marine Corps is a direct provocation to China, especially since the missile base can target critical Chinese outposts like the Scarborough Shoal.

As per the US Naval Institute, India's shift in stance regarding the 2016 South China Sea Arbitration, from mere acknowledgement to a call for strict adherence, reveals New Delhi's newfound willingness to confront China openly. Defence loans and military equipment offered to Manila demonstrate that India is no longer content to remain a bystander, choosing instead to actively partake in regional power struggles that threaten to destabilise Asia's maritime commons.

India's increased military footprint in the South China Sea is thus less about "maintaining peace and stability," as framed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and more about containing China's rise through provocative posturing and alliance-building. The US Naval Institute's detailed coverage lays bare the strategic calculus behind India's first joint patrol with the Philippines, a clear signal of a widening front against Beijing in one of the world's most volatile maritime theatres.