Claim: India sent a warship to the Philippines to show its support following the recent water-cannon incidents by Chinese ships against Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels in Bajo de Masinloc.
Why we fact-checked this: The YouTube video bearing the claim has over 2,344 views as of writing.
At the 0:35 mark, the video shows the onscreen text: “India nagpadala ng warship sa Pilipinas bilang suporta pangbobomba ng tubig ng China sa Bajo de Masinloc sa PCG” (India sent a warship to the Philippines in a show of support against China’s firing of water cannons against the PCG in Bajo de Masinloc.)
Taken in New Zealand: The video of the Indian guided missile destroyer INS Kolkata (063) shown in the video was taken in New Zealand, and not in the Philippines.
The title and caption of the original video, posted by YouTube user AirflowNZ on September 1, 2023, says that it was taken during INS Kolkata’s visit to Auckland, New Zealand on August 31, 2023.
According to Facebook posts of the Royal New Zealand Navy and the High Commission of India in New Zealand, INS Kolkata went to Auckland for a “four-day resupply and goodwill visit.”
Latest deployment in the Philippines: The misleading video was posted following recent news of a goodwill visit and maritime exercises between the Philippines and India.
According to a press release from the Indian embassy on December 13, the Indian Navy’s Kamorta class anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kadmatt docked in Manila from December 12 to 13, 2023.
INS Kadmatt will also participate in a “maritime partnership exercise” in the West Philippine Sea with the Philippine Navy’s BRP Ramon Alcaraz on December 13 to “foster maritime cooperation between the two countries,” the press release said.
Amid the latest acts of Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea – including back-to-back water cannon incidents earlier in December – India’s ambassador to the Philippines Shambhu Kumaran said New Delhi will continue to support Manila in urging respect for international law.
“We fully support our Philippine friends in their efforts to ensure that whatever happens in the seas respects the constitution of the seas,” he said. – Lorenz Pasion/Rappler.com
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