India and the Philippines have conducted their first joint naval patrols in the South China Sea, marking a significant deepening of security cooperation between the two Indo-Pacific democracies amid rising tensions with China. The patrols coincided with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s state visit to New Delhi, where he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi oversaw a broad slate of agreements on 5 August. Defence officials signed a terms-of-reference document that will institutionalise regular talks among the two countries’ armies, air forces and navies. Beyond security, the leaders announced accords covering mutual legal assistance, prisoner transfers, scientific collaboration, tourism and agriculture. India pledged support for a Philippine sovereign data-cloud system, invited Manila to join its Information Fusion Centre, and offered free electronic visas to Philippine nationals after Manila recently waived visas for Indian tourists. Modi reiterated India’s commitment to a "rule-based order" and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific. Beijing, which claims almost the entire South China Sea, said the joint exercises "undermine regional peace and stability."