The Philippines and India have announced the establishment of a “strategic partnership,” following bilateral talks between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi yesterday.

The two leaders presided over the signing of 13 bilateral agreements, including a declaration on the new strategic partnership and an “action plan” for its implementation up to 2029.

According to the declaration, the strategic partnership, which coincides with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the Philippines and India, “marks a new chapter towards realizing the full potential for bilateral, regional and international cooperation between the two countries.” It then laid out a long list of goals, ranging from defense and security matters to trade, connectivity, political cooperation, and people-to-people relations.

“Today, our relationship enters a new epoch,” Marcos said in a joint press conference after his meeting with Marcos at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. “India becomes only the fifth strategic partner of the Philippines.”

Defense cooperation, particularly in the maritime domain, will form a core part of the strategic partnership, underpinned by a shared concern about China’s growing maritime capability, and its aggressive actions in the South China Sea. Earlier this week, the Indian and Philippine navies concluded their first joint exercise in the South China Sea, where the Philippines and China have clashed repeatedly over the past few years. The two-day drills, which took place off the western coast of the Philippines, included “a comprehensive series of high-level naval operations aimed at strengthening tactical coordination and joint maritime capability,” according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Speaking to the press, Modi described the Philippines as an important partner in India’s “Act East Policy” and “Mahagasar” vision, both of which aim to strengthen ties with Southeast Asia, to promote regional stability, and to counter China’s growing influence in the region.

“Strengthening defense relations is a symbol of deep mutual trust, and as maritime nations, maritime cooperation between the two countries is both natural and essential,” Modi told the press after his meeting with Marcos at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi. The Indian leader said that his country is “committed to peace, security, prosperity, and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region” and “supports freedom of navigation in accordance with international laws.” India is also in talks with the Philippines for the development of submarine infrastructure, the Indian Foreign Ministry said at a media briefing yesterday.

The strategic partnership declaration lays out plans to institutionalize joint military exercises, enhance cooperation in maritime security, promote the “co-development and co-production of defense equipment,” among other things.

While not mentioning China by name, the declaration expressed “concern for the situation in the South China Sea particularly with regard to coercive and aggressive actions that impact on regional peace and stability.” It also stated that the 2016 South China Sea arbitral ruling, which supported most of the Philippines’ claims and stated that China’s maximalist claims have no ruling under international law, is “final and binding” and formed “the basis for resolving disputes in accordance with international law.”

The new strategic partnership gives firm shape to the growing strategic alignment between the two nations. Last year, India revised its position on the 2016 South China Sea ruling, moving from acknowledgment to active calls for adherence. The Philippines is also the foreign country to purchase India’s Brahmos supersonic cruise missiles, the second batch of which were delivered to the country in April of this year. Manila is also reported to be in talks for the purchase of the shorter-range Akash missile.

In addition to ramping up maritime cooperation, Marcos told the press that the two nations will begin negotiations of a bilateral preferential trade agreement in a bid to “shepherd our commerce… towards a continued upward trajectory and expanded basket of goods.” The Philippines and India engage in relatively modest amounts of trade, which totalled around $3.3 billion in 2024. The two nations have also agreed to introduce visa-free entry for their respective nationals.

According to The Inquirer, the Philippines has previously established strategic partnerships with Japan (2015), Vietnam (2015), Australia (2023) and South Korea (2024).

Author: Sebastian Strangio

Source: The Diplomat

Russian President Vladimir Putin says "a decision has been made to create a buffer security zone" along his country's border.

He spoke at an ad hoc videoconference of government officials Thursday.

Putin said the Russian military is working to set up the buffer zone while "effectively suppressing enemy firing points." But he made no mention of exactly where the zone will be established.

Putin also stressed that "additional support is currently needed" for residents of the border regions of Kursk, Belgorod and Bryansk. He said the areas are "in close proximity to the line of combat engagement."

Putin pledged greater support to help people rebuild their lives from damage caused by Ukrainian cross-border attacks.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that his country's military is "continuing active operations in the Kursk and Belgorod regions." He explained that they are for the "active and effective defense of the Sumy region" and "the defense of the Kharkiv region."

Zelenskyy also said Russia is "not yet ready to end the war." He urged the United States and European countries to work together to ratchet up military, economic and political pressure on Russia.

Ref: NHK 

The Chinese government has announced that its defense spending plan for this year is 7.2 percent larger than last year's.

The defense budget plan, unveiled at the opening session of the National People's Congress that began on Wednesday, is worth about 1.78 trillion yuan, or about 245 billion dollars.

The year-on-year growth rate for the plan was set at the same level as last year and 2023. It reflects Beijing's determination to continue its military buildup amid an economic slowdown.

China has increased its maritime assertiveness in the East and South China Seas. It has the largest number of naval vessels and other ships in the world.

China is also expected to put its third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, into commission as early as this year. Some observers indicate that Beijing may also be planning to build a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

The country is estimated to have a stockpile of more than 600 operational nuclear warheads with more continuing to be added. It also appears to be strengthening research and development in cyber, space and artificial intelligence by making use of advanced civilian technologies.

The Chinese defense ministry states that it will elevate its armed forces to world-class standards.

Meanwhile, some point out that China's defense spending does not reflect the real situation. That is because it appears not to contain spending on equipment purchases from abroad and on research and development.

Source-NHK World

North Korea has slammed the United States for "political and military provocations" over the visit of a US Navy aircraft carrier to the South Korean port of Busan.

The statement by Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korea's ruler Kim Jong Un, was published on Tuesday (Mar 4) by the state-owned Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

"As soon as its new administration appeared this year, the US has stepped up the political and military provocations against the DPRK, 'carrying forward' the former administration's hostile policy," her statement read.

The USS Carl Vinson, the flagship of a carrier strike group, arrived in Busan for a scheduled port visit on Sunday, the US Navy said in a statement.

"The visit to Busan exemplifies the US commitment to the region, further enhancing relationships with ROK leaders and the local population," the US Navy said, using the acronym for the South's formal name.

Military cooperation between Seoul and Washington regularly invites condemnation from Pyongyang, where the government sees such moves as preparation for an invasion, and often carries out missile tests in response.

ကိုးကား- CNA

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates on Monday called for the Israeli army to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and allow the State of Palestine to assume its duties.

In a press statement, the ministry called for real international measures "to curb the occupation's aggression against our people and their rights in a way that ensures the establishment of a ceasefire and the rapid empowerment of the State of Palestine and its internationally recognized legitimate institutions to carry out their responsibilities and immediately extend their sovereignty over the Gaza Strip and the entire Palestinian territory occupied since 1967."

Earlier on Saturday, the 42-day initial phase of the three-stage agreement between Hamas and Israel expired, with no breakthrough announced for its next phase.

Israel is seeking to extend the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement for an additional 42 days, while Hamas rejects this and wants to move forward with negotiations for the second phase.

The second phase of the agreement is supposed to focus on the release of the remaining Israeli hostages, the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the implementation of a permanent ceasefire.

Source: Xinhua

AMID the ongoing crisis in West Asia, which has resulted in a surge in tensions in the region, Hezbollah appears to be planning to hit Haifa, Israel’s third biggest city, which is incidentally the main city in the country’s north neighbouring Lebanon, according to Head of the Emergency Preparedness Department in the port city While speaking to ANI in an exclusive interview, the official Leonid Reznik stated that the purpose of the emergency preparedness department is to monitor the city, for which a few hundred CCTV cameras have also been installed across the city.

“We have a few hundreds of CCTV cameras inside the city. Our purpose is to monitor the city to understand what’s going on and, most importantly, to understand, in case of a straight hit of one of the rockets, where it was so we can send our workers, our police, and home from command soldiers to the place where the rocket hit,” Reznik said. Hundreds of thousands of people have already fled southern Lebanon, where Israel’s bombardments are most intense and where the Israel Defence Force is conducting ground operations to destroy Hezbollah’s weapons cache.— AN

RUSSIA has the initiative on the battlefield when it comes to the conflict with Ukraine, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told US media on Monday.

“The Russians have the initiative on the battlefield,” Vucic said, when asked about Ukraine’s prospects in the conflict.

Earlier this month, the Ukrainian military admitted that they were outnumbered by Russian troops and outgunned as well.

Russia believes that arms supplies to Ukraine directly involve NATO countries in the conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted that any cargo containing weapons for Ukraine would become a legitimate target for Russia. According to Lavrov, the United States and NATO are directly involved in the conflict, including not only by supplying weapons, but also by training personnel.— SPUTNIK