Indian, Philippines Coast Guards hold first annual bilateral meeting to boost maritime synergy
Manila, Dec 2 (LatestNewsX) — On Tuesday, Manila hosted the first annual bilateral round‑table between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), a gathering organized under the Memorandum of Understanding signed on August 22, 2023.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) issued a statement noting that “both sides reviewed recent ship visits, professional exchanges and Coast Guard to Coast Guard cooperative activities, while agreeing to further strengthen joint initiatives aimed at enhancing interoperability and operational coordination.”
This meeting dovetails neatly with India’s Act East Policy, as well as its broader maritime projects—Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) and the Indo‑Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI)—all of which strive for a safer, more stable maritime environment.
Participants focused on broadening ties in areas such as maritime search and rescue, law enforcement, marine pollution response, and training programs.
The session was co‑chaired by ICG Commander of the Eastern Seaboard, Additional Director General Donny Michael, and PCG Deputy Commandant for Operations, Vice Admiral Edgar L. Ybanez, the MoD said.
Strengthening collaboration between the ICG and PCG is a vital part of the wider India‑Philippines strategic partnership, helping to promote peace, stability, and sustainable maritime governance across the Indo‑Pacific.
Both Coast Guards reaffirmed their commitment to regular institutional interactions, shared training, best‑practice exchanges, and joint ship visits, emphasizing that such engagements build mutual trust and foster operational synergy.
The meeting highlighted the shared resolve of India and the Philippines to work together in a spirit of friendship and cooperation, ensuring regional maritime security, safety, and environmental sustainability.
In a recent statement, Philippine Ambassador to the United States, Jose Manuel del Gallego Romualdez, underscored the strength of the India‑Philippines relationship, calling New Delhi “one of Manila’s top partners and friends.”
“ We look at India now as one of our top partners and friends. They have been very supportive of the Philippines…We are actually buying quite a number of defence equipment like BrahMos and are also working with India on the technology side, ” he added.
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