India has deployed three warships, including guided-missile destroyer INS Delhi, fleet tanker INS Shakti, and anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kiltan, to the South China Sea. The deployment comes as India conducts naval exercises with friendly countries in the region and closely monitors Chinese satellite and missile tracking ships in the Indian Ocean Region. India has been upgrading defense ties with countries like Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines to counter China's expanding naval presence and territorial claims in the Indo-Pacific. India also aims to increase arms supplies to ASEAN countries [41a14ccf].
This deployment of warships is part of India's efforts to counter Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. It follows the recent delivery of BrahMos missiles to the Philippines by India, which also aims to deter China's aggressive actions in the region. The deployment of warships further demonstrates India's commitment to maintaining stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region. It also highlights the growing defense ties between India and other countries in the region, as they work together to counter China's influence [5b6f1f96].
India's deployment of warships to the South China Sea comes amidst ongoing tensions between India and China. Both countries have been involved in military confrontations in the region, with China asserting its territorial claims and India seeking to protect its interests. The deployment of warships by India is seen as a show of strength and a message to China that India will not back down in the face of aggression. It also serves as a deterrent to further Chinese actions in the South China Sea [41a14ccf].
Germany has also sent two warships to the Indo-Pacific region amid rising tensions between China and Taiwan and over the disputed South China Sea. The supply ship Frankfurt am Main set sail from Wilhelmshaven, while the frigate Baden-Wuerttemberg left from the Spanish harbor of Rota. The ships will pass through the South China Sea, but it is unclear whether they will sail through the Taiwan Strait. This move by Germany is aimed at strengthening its military presence in the region and supporting the freedom of navigation and free passage on trade routes, which are being threatened by the tensions between China and Taiwan [cc849df2].
The deployment of warships by both India and Germany underscores the growing concerns over China's assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region. It reflects a broader trend of countries seeking to counterbalance China's influence and protect their own interests in the face of Chinese aggression. The presence of multiple navies in the South China Sea and the Indo-Pacific region highlights the complex geopolitical dynamics at play and the potential for further escalation of tensions [41a14ccf] [cc849df2].
Warships from the U.S., Philippines, Japan, and Canada held two days of drills in the South China Sea. The exercise aimed to test the navies' ability to work together and bolster regional security and stability. The drills coincided with a collision between a Chinese coast guard vessel and a Philippine supply ship near the Spratly Islands. China's coast guard reported that a Philippine supply ship entered waters near the Second Thomas Shoal, a disputed area claimed by both countries. The Philippines claims the shoal as within its exclusive economic zone. The collision caused bodily injury and damaged Philippine vessels. The Philippines seeks UN confirmation of its continental seabed in the South China Sea [2d1ab6a2].
Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force conducted joint exercises with the United States, the Philippines, and Canada in the South China Sea. The drills involved a Japanese destroyer, a US Navy destroyer, a Philippine navy patrol ship, and a Canadian Navy frigate. This is the first time the four countries have conducted such joint activity. The exercises tested coordination through communication and navigation training. Japan aims to strengthen cooperation with allies and partners to maintain regional peace, stability, and maritime order. China's increased activities in the South China Sea have led to repeated obstructions of Philippine ships [32dfa40e].
Canada joined its first joint patrol with the Philippines, Japan, and the United States in the South China Sea to uphold freedom of navigation and overflight amid China's growing assertiveness in the contested waters. The Royal Canadian Navy deployed HMCS Montreal, along with the Philippine Navy's BRP Andres Bonifacio, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's JS Kirisame, and the US Navy's USS Ralph Johnson. The joint patrol took place as China interfered with a Philippine resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal. The multilateral exercise aimed to test and validate the interoperability of the armed forces' doctrines, tactics, techniques, and procedures [3711f4c9].
The United States, Canada, Japan, and the Philippines conducted a two-day joint maritime exercise in Manila's exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea. The exercise, called 'maritime cooperative activity,' involved a series of maritime maneuvers to test and validate the interoperability of the armed forces' doctrines, tactics, techniques, and procedures. The exercise aimed to enhance cooperation and coordination among the participating countries in the region [38ea8e70].