India and the Philippines have carried out their first joint naval drills in the South China Sea, a region marked by rising tensions and competing territorial claims.
The two-day exercises began on Sunday and are taking place near disputed waters, according to the Philippine military.
India sent three naval ships for the drills, including the guided missile destroyer INS Delhi.
These ships had docked in Manila for a port visit before the exercises started.
The Philippines joined the operation with two of its frigates.
As part of the ongoing activities, both sides conducted replenishment at sea, a key element in extended maritime missions.
The drills come just as Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. began a five-day state visit to India.
While in New Delhi, Marcos is expected to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss expanding defense cooperation and maritime partnerships.
Before departing, Marcos noted that both nations are committed to maintaining maritime rules under international law, including provisions laid out in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which grants nations control over waters extending 200 nautical miles from their shores.
China, which claims nearly all of the South China Sea, is likely to view the growing India-Philippines cooperation as a challenge to its position in the region.
Chinese forces monitored the patrols, but there were no direct confrontations, according to Philippine defense officials.
The Philippines has recently stepped up joint operations with other countries, aiming to reinforce its presence in contested waters.
The region is a key global shipping route, with an estimated $3 trillion worth of trade passing through it each year.
Meanwhile, China continues to assert control over areas also claimed by Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia.
Tensions remain not only in the South China Sea but also along the India-China land border, where both countries have long-standing disputes.