India and Philippines to strengthen defence cooperation at key meeting in Manila

India’s Defence Secretary, Giridhar Aramane, will co-chair an important meeting with the Philippines to strengthen defence ties between the two countries. The fifth meeting of the India-Philippines Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) will be held on September 11, in Manila. Irineo Cruz Espino, Senior Under Secretary of the Philippines Ministry of National Defence, will co-chair the meeting.

The discussion aims to improve cooperation in defence matters, with Defence Secretary Aramane also set to meet other key officials from the Philippine government.

This visit is significant as India and the Philippines celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations and 10 years of India’s Act East Policy, which promotes closer ties with Southeast Asia. Over the years, both countries have expanded their relationship, focusing on important areas like defence and security. They are committed to supporting each other in becoming self-reliant in defence production.

The JDCC was formed under a 2006 agreement on defence cooperation between India and the Philippines. This meeting is the first to be co-chaired by the Defence Secretaries, marking an upgrade from the last meeting in New Delhi in March 2023, which was led by Joint Secretaries.