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New Delhi, Manila agree to bolster defence relations

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MANILA: India and the Philippines on Friday agreed to bolster defence and maritime security partnership and to make it a key pillar of bilateral co-operation, amidst China flexing its military muscles in the region.


The two countries also committed to work closely together to defeat and eliminate terrorism in all its forms as President Ram Nath Kovind held wide-ranging talks with his Philippine counterpart Rodrigo Duterte at his official residence, the Malacanan Palace.


“I had very productive discussions with President Duterte. These cover bilateral co-operation as well as regional and global issues of the day,” Kovind said after the talks and signing of four agreements covering maritime domain, security, tourism, science and technology and culture.


Kovind arrived in the Philippines on Thursday as part of his five-day state visit to the country.


“My visit to the Philippines is taking place in this landmark year when we are celebrating 70 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries,” Kovind said in a press statement along his Philippine counterpart Duterte.


Acknowledging that the relations between the two countries have grown from strength to strength, Kovind said, “We have strong cooperation in political, defence and security, counter-terrorism, trade and investment as well as in agriculture, science & technology and health fields.”


The president noted that the two countries have been the victims of terrorism with India being the target of cross-border terrorism for decades, in an apparent reference to Pakistan.


“We committed to work closely together to defeat and eliminate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,” he said.


As two vibrant democracies that believe in a rules-based international order, respect for international law and sovereign equality of nations, the Philippines and India are “natural partners” in the pursuit of their respective national development and security objectives, he said.


One of the agreements inked on Friday was on the sharing of white shipping information between the Philippine Coast Guard and the Indian Navy. White shipping information refers to exchange of advance information on the movement and identity of commercial non-military merchant vessels. The meeting between Kovind and Duterte took place after a Chinese fishing trawler hit and sank a Filipino boat in June in the contested waters of the South China Sea. — IANS


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