Philippines eyes expansion of Squad group to India, South Korea

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By Shivam Patel

NEW DELHI (Reuters) -The Philippines and its allies are trying to expand the Squad grouping of nations to include India and South Korea to counter China in the Indo-Pacific region, the Philippines’ Armed Forces chief General Romeo S. Brawner said on Wednesday.

The Squad is an informal multilateral grouping made up of Australia, Japan, the Philippines and the United States, whose defence forces have conducted joint maritime activities in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea since last year.

Brawner’s remarks at the Raisina Dialogue security forum in New Delhi come at a time when Manila and Beijing have had a series of escalating confrontations in the disputed waters of the South China Sea.

China claims almost all of the strategic waterway – through which $3 trillion in commerce moves annually – disregarding sovereignty claims by the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. A 2016 arbitration ruling invalidated China’s expansive claim but Beijing does not recognise the decision.

Brawner said his country was making efforts to enhance its deterrence capabilities, including by working with partners in the Squad, which he said was an informal collaboration between the four nations on military aspects, intelligence sharing, and joint exercises and operations.

“Together with Japan and our partners we are trying to expand the squad to include India and probably South Korea,” Brawner said during a panel discussion that included his counterpart from Japan, the chief of the Indian Navy, the commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, and Australia’s chief of Joint Operations.

Spokespersons of the Indian defence ministry and the embassies of South Korea and China did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

“We find commonality with India because we have a common enemy. And I’m not afraid to say that China is our common enemy. So, it’s important that we collaborate together, maybe exchange intelligence,” Brawner later told reporters, adding that his country already had a partnership with the Indian military and defence industry.

He said that he will “open up” the potential for India’s Squad membership later in the day in a meeting with India’s Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan.

A senior Indian defence officer said the meeting had happened, but it was not immediately clear if the matter was discussed.

At a press conference on March 7, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said the Philippines’ actions in the South China Sea were not independent but part of a “screenplay written by external forces,” to smear China.

(Reporting by Shivam Patel; Editing by Andrew Heavens, Alexandra Hudson)