India supports the Philippines’ sovereignty, said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Manila, in comments that sparked a response from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which called on “third countries” not to “interfere”.

Mr. Jaishankar’s visit to Manila on Tuesday, where he met Philippines President Bongbong Marcos and Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo, is part of a three-nation five-day tour to Singapore, the Philippines and Malaysia.

“I take this opportunity to firmly reiterate India’s support to the Philippines for upholding its national sovereignty,” said Mr. Jaishankar, reading his opening statement to the media during a joint press conference after talks with Mr. Manalo.

He said that the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) was the “the constitution of the seas” and all parties “must adhere to it in its entirety, both in letter and in spirit”, in comments seen as aimed at China, whose Navy and Coast Guard have been frequently accused of violating sovereign waters of other countries and claiming islands.