Philippine and Indian navies will conduct its "first ever bilateral maritime cooperative activity (MCA) in the West Philippine Sea" next week as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr will arrive in New Delhi on Monday.

In an interview aboard Indian naval tanker INS Shakti at Pier 15, Port Area, Manila on Thursday night, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said the joint sail between the Philippine and Indian Navies is not a show of force but a show of unity among like minded nations.

"Next week while our president is in India we will have a bilateral MCA with India. Our Philippine Navy together with the three vessels of India will sail in the West Philippine Sea," he said.

"It is very important as China said it is a show of force but I disagree, it is a show of unity, show of solidarity among like minded nations because we have the same values, and what values is that we value the free and open Indo-Pacific," he added.

Brawner also noted that the presence of the Indian Navy in Manila "sends a powerful signal of solidarity, strength in partnership, and the energy of cooperation between two vibrant democracies in the Indo-Pacific.”

The Indian Navy ships INS Delhi, INS Kiltan and INS Shakti arrived last Wednesday while INS Sandhayak docked in South Harbor on Friday. Robina Asido/DMS