India and the Philippines staged joint sail and naval exercises in the disputed South China Sea for the first time, a high-profile military deployment that will likely antagonize China. Beijing has separate territorial disputes with the two Asian democracies and a long-running regional rivalry with New Delhi.

Three Indian warships joined Philippine forces for a landmark sea patrol in disputed waters. The message: stronger maritime ties, despite Beijing’s objections.

The exercise coincided with President Marcos’s trip to India, where he said he would look to deepen maritime ties.