India Supports Philippines’ Territorial Claims in South China Sea Dispute

India recently revised its position on the 2016 South China Sea arbitration, confirming its support for the Philippines’ territorial claims against China. This shift in stance came during a meeting between Indian and Filipino diplomats and reflects India’s increasing security engagements with Southeast Asian countries. The Joint Statement published by India emphasized their common interest in a free and open Indo-Pacific region and called for a peaceful settlement of the dispute in compliance with international law, including the 2016 South China Sea award.

The 2016 arbitration ruling rejected China’s claims to the South China Sea and discredited its nine-dash line, which was used to claim sites in the Scarborough Shoal and other areas far from mainland China. The arbitration ruling also focused on the legal status of maritime features, ruling that many of China’s features in the South China Sea were not islands but rocks or ebb tides. China has rejected the verdict and continues its expansion across the South China Sea.

India’s support for the 2016 arbitration decision allows it to take a principled position in support of international law without aligning itself with any major powers. India’s enhanced security ties with the Philippines are part of its Act East Policy, which aims to strengthen ties with countries across the Indo-Pacific. The two countries discussed naval and defense cooperation, including naval exercises, Coast Guard cooperation, and defense equipment procurement. India’s defense sales, including the BrahMos anti-ship cruise missile, have benefited from the arbitration ruling, as many of the countries involved are India’s customers.

India’s increasing engagement in the South China Sea is driven by its security concerns and the need to protect its interests. By aligning itself with countries in the region and taking a principled stance on international law, India aims to maintain its national security while avoiding alignment with any major power. Its efforts to strengthen ties and defense cooperation with countries like the Philippines and Vietnam reflect its commitment to the Act East Policy and its role in ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

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