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

The Philippine and Indian navies have sailed together for the first time in the South China Sea, officials said on Monday, as President Ferdinand Marcos left Manila for New Delhi for a state visit.

The joint naval exercises — carried out over two days — are likely to antagonise China, which claims to control the entire contested maritime area. View on euronews