Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. on Monday expressed hope for more military exercises with India following its conduct of a joint sail with the Philippines.
Brawner said the activity went smoothly, with no conflict or tension reported during the joint maritime operation, despite the possibility of interference from other parties.
“We did not experience any untoward incidents,” Brawner said in a mix of English and Filipino in an interview.
The AFP chief earlier said that this activity is not a show of force but a “show of unity” and “show of solidarity” among like-minded countries that value a free and open Indo-Pacific Region.
“The joint activity will be the first of its kind in the West Philippine Sea — a region increasingly central to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Brawner said in a statement on Friday.
“So far, the results are good, and we have met our objectives for the exercise,” he added.
As of posting, the AFP has yet to disclose the specific Philippine and Indian naval assets involved in the joint operation.
