Maryland, July 31 -- India has recently deployed its Eastern Fleet flotilla to the South China Sea, marking a significant escalation in the region's tense geopolitical landscape.

The deployment features India's first-ever joint maritime patrol with the Philippines in these hotly contested waters, signalling a clear strategic push against China's growing influence, as reported by the US Naval Institute.

The flotilla, including the guided-missile destroyer INS Mysore (D 60), the anti-submarine corvette INS Kiltan (D 30), and the replenishment vessel INS Shakti (A 57), docked at the Port of Manila for goodwill activities ahead of the planned cooperative maritime operations.

This unprecedented naval cooperation with the Philippines comes a...