The Philippines and India have successfully concluded their inaugural Track 1 Maritime Dialogue, marking a significant milestone in their bilateral relations. Held in Manila on December 13, the dialogue was preceded by the Indian delegation’s visits to key maritime facilities in Manila and Subic.
The Philippine delegation was led by Marshall Louis Alferez, Assistant Secretary of the Maritime and Oceans Affairs Office of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), while the Indian delegation was headed by Ms. Muanpuii Saiawi, Joint Secretary of Disarmament and International Security Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
This event coincides with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. During the dialogue, both sides expressed their shared commitment to a free, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. They exchanged perspectives on prevailing maritime challenges and discussed ways to enhance maritime cooperation to foster mutual growth and global well-being.
Both nations reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism and the rules-based international order. They emphasized the importance of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the legal framework for all ocean and sea activities. They underscored the need to respect the rights and freedoms of all states, including navigation and overflight, and to adhere strictly to the geographical and substantive limits of maritime entitlements as defined by international law, particularly under UNCLOS and its dispute settlement mechanisms. The Philippines and India reiterated their call for full compliance with UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitration Award.
In their efforts to increase bilateral engagements, they also explored avenues for collaboration at various international and regional fora. They committed to sharing best practices, partnering in maritime capacity-building initiatives, engaging in information sharing, and exploring other forms of practical cooperation in areas such as regional maritime security, national maritime strategy, the law of the sea, economic opportunities in the maritime sector, resilient supply chains, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, search and rescue, maritime domain awareness, maritime law enforcement, marine biodiversity, ocean science, marine spatial planning, ocean information and advisory services, and the obligation to protect and preserve the marine environment. They also agreed to further explore cooperation in Navy and Coast Guard operations, hydrography, and sister port arrangements.
The dialogue also provided an opportunity to echo the calls of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the United Nations Security Council for respect for navigational rights and freedoms and the immediate release of the Galaxy Leader and its crew. Both sides expressed appreciation to the global maritime sector for prioritizing the safety of seafarers. The Philippines encouraged India to consider proactive efforts to promote and protect the human rights of seafarers and to respect their right to refuse to sail in designated high-risk areas.
They committed to supporting each other at the IMO for the benefit of seafarers and to engaging with states and maritime industry stakeholders to explore international cooperation on timely and practical initiatives, such as enhanced awareness for seafarers navigating high-risk areas, sharing real-time threat intelligence, and developing safer routes.
The Track 1 dialogue built on the success of the inaugural Track 2 maritime dialogue held on September 12, 2023, in Manila, which identified several promising areas for collaboration. The progression to a Track 1 dialogue signifies the commitment of both sides to deepen their engagement on maritime issues.
The second round of the Philippines-India maritime dialogue will be hosted by India in 2025.
