Manalo joins India's Raisina Dialogue for the first time

MANILA, Philippines — Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo arrived in New Delhi, India, on Monday, March 17, to participate in the 10th Raisina Dialogue. There, he will speak on a high-profile panel addressing maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region. 

The three-day conference, running from March 17 to 19, is India's premier international forum on geopolitical and economic issues. The summit is jointly hosted by India's Ministry of External Affairs and the Observer Research Forum. 

This marks Manalo's first appearance at the forum, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs. 

On the second day of the conference, Manalo will be one of six speakers on the "Secure Waters: ASEAN, Quad and the Indo-Pacific" panel, where panelists will examine the future of a free and open Indo-Pacific and how the region's nations can balance individual interests with multilateral cooperation. 

According to the website of the Raisina Dialogue, the panel discussion will also address potential impacts of the new Trump administration in the United States on strategic alignments in the region and the influence of non-state actors on traditional security frameworks.

On the sidelines of the conference, Manalo has scheduled bilateral meetings with foreign ministers from participating nations. The DFA chief will also engage with members of the Indian business community and visit the Philippine Embassy in New Delhi to observe its e-Visa operations.  

The Philippines and India held their first government-level maritime dialogue in December 2024, where both parties agreed to deepen their maritime ties and explore potential coast guard and naval cooperation.

The inaugural Track 1 Maritime Dialogue held in Manila identified areas of collaboration between the two countries from maritime security to ocean science. Both countries agreed to work on joint projects in maritime law enforcement, disaster response and environmental protection, while exploring partnerships between their navies and coast guards. They also agreed to share best practices, partner in maritime capacity-building initiatives and enhance information sharing.

During the meeting between the two countries' top diplomats, India moved beyond merely acknowledging the arbitral award to explicitly calling for its compliance, supporting Manila's position against China's expansive maritime claims.