India and Philippines Strengthen Defence Ties in Manila Meeting
The fifth meeting of the India-Philippines Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) was held in Manila on September 11. The meeting was co-chaired by India’s Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane and the Philippines’ Senior Undersecretary Irineo Cruz Espino. They discussed a range of bilateral and multilateral issues and reviewed the outcomes of the third Service-to-Service interactions held on September 10.
Both sides expressed satisfaction with the overall enhancement in bilateral defence cooperation. Aramane praised the Philippines’ Self-Reliance Defence Posture Act for modernising its Armed Forces and highlighted India’s similar vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. He invited the Philippines to partner with the Indian defence industry in co-developing and co-producing equipment.
The Philippines also invited investments in long-term equity partnerships to promote assured supply chains and appreciated India’s defence industry indigenisation. Both nations committed to supporting each other in achieving self-reliance in defence production. They also welcomed the operationalisation of White Shipping Information Exchange and the upcoming opening of a defence wing at the Indian Embassy in Manila.
During the visit, Aramane met with the Philippines’ Secretary of National Defence, Gilbert Eduardo Gerardo Cojuangco Teodoro Jr., and conveyed greetings from India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Aramane was also received with a full Guard of Honour at the headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The JDCC was established under a Memorandum of Understanding on defence cooperation signed in 2006. This year marks the 75th year of diplomatic relations and the 10th year of the Act East policy, with the JDCC co-chairmanship upgraded to Secretary-level. The relationship between India and the Philippines is based on shared values such as democracy, rule of law, and the widespread use of the English language.
Doubts Revealed
Manila -: Manila is the capital city of the Philippines, a country in Southeast Asia.
Defence Secretary -: A Defence Secretary is a high-ranking official in charge of a country’s defense department. In this case, Giridhar Aramane is the Defence Secretary of India.
Senior Undersecretary -: A Senior Undersecretary is a high-ranking official in the government. Irineo Cruz Espino is a Senior Undersecretary in the Philippines’ defense department.
Bilateral -: Bilateral means involving two countries. Here, it refers to discussions between India and the Philippines.
Multilateral -: Multilateral means involving multiple countries. In this context, it refers to discussions that may include other nations besides India and the Philippines.
Self-Reliance Defence Posture Act -: This is a law in the Philippines aimed at making the country more self-sufficient in defense production, meaning they want to produce more of their own defense equipment.
Defence Industry -: The defence industry includes companies and organizations that produce weapons, military technology, and other defense-related products.
