Published: 11:20 AM, 18 September 2026
Philippines, Australia Deepen Ties to Expand Maritime Security
The Philippines and Australia are deepening their strategic partnership with expanded cooperation on maritime security, as the two countries seek to strengthen their ability to respond to challenges at sea and promote stability across the Indo-Pacific.
The partnership reflects the growing importance of maritime security to both countries. The Philippines is an archipelago whose economy, food supply, transportation and national security depend heavily on its surrounding waters. Australia, meanwhile, has identified Southeast Asian maritime security as an important area of regional cooperation.
The two countries established a Strategic Partnership in 2023, building on decades of defense and security cooperation. Their partnership includes maritime security, defense, counterterrorism, humanitarian assistance, disaster response and cooperation against transnational crime.
A major element of the relationship is cooperation between the countries' maritime agencies. Australia has committed funding and technical assistance to help strengthen Philippine civil maritime capabilities. Its Civil Maritime Advancement through Partnerships and Support, or C-MAPS, program is providing $18 million from 2025 to 2029 for civil maritime security and marine environmental protection.
The program is designed to improve coordination, training and institutional capacity among Philippine maritime agencies. It also aims to help the Philippines become more resilient to social, economic and climate-related shocks affecting its maritime domain.
Australia is expanding similar programs across Southeast Asia. Canberra has committed $160 million over 10 years, from 2024 to 2034, to its Southeast Asia Maritime Partnerships. The initiative supports skills development, training, technical assistance, academic exchanges, policy discussions and technology cooperation with regional partners.
For the Philippines, the cooperation has particular significance because of the country's extensive maritime territory and its position in the South China Sea. The Philippines has repeatedly emphasized the importance of international law, freedom of navigation and the peaceful resolution of maritime disputes.
Australia and the Philippines have expressed similar positions on these principles. Their 2023 Strategic Partnership declaration reaffirmed the importance of maritime safety and security, freedom of navigation and overflight, and other lawful uses of the sea under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The two governments also agreed to strengthen cooperation among maritime policy, administration, security and law-enforcement agencies. Their plans included bilateral joint patrols in the South China Sea and other areas of mutual interest.
The cooperation is not limited to military activities. Both countries are also working on issues such as illegal fishing, smuggling, human trafficking, environmental protection and maritime law enforcement. These challenges can affect economic security as well as national security.
Training and education are another important part of the partnership. Australia plans to provide additional Australia Awards scholarships for Philippine students beginning in 2027, with some scholarships supported through Australia's Southeast Asia Maritime Partnerships and focused on maritime security.
The countries have also conducted maritime cooperative activities alongside other regional partners. According to a Philippine government report, the Philippines participated in 16 bilateral and multilateral maritime cooperative activities between January 2024 and May 2025, including activities with Australia, the United States, Japan, Canada, New Zealand and France.
The cooperation comes as maritime security has become an increasingly important issue throughout the Indo-Pacific. Governments in the region are seeking stronger mechanisms for communication, surveillance, law enforcement and crisis response while emphasizing that disputes should be handled peacefully and according to international law.
Australia has also publicly supported the 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruling involving the Philippines and China. In July 2026, Australia joined the Philippines and several other governments in marking the ruling's 10th anniversary and reaffirming that maritime disputes should be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
For Manila, closer cooperation with Australia provides opportunities to improve maritime capabilities without limiting the partnership to traditional military cooperation. For Canberra, working with the Philippines strengthens its broader engagement with Southeast Asia and supports its stated objective of contributing to a peaceful, stable and prosperous region.
The partnership is also expected to have practical benefits for people who depend on the sea. Better maritime surveillance, stronger law enforcement, improved environmental protection and more effective emergency responses can benefit fishermen, commercial operators, coastal communities and seafarers.
As the Philippines and Australia continue expanding their cooperation, maritime security is likely to remain a central pillar of their relationship. Their efforts demonstrate how bilateral partnerships can combine defense cooperation with civilian capacity building, environmental protection and regional diplomacy.
The broader objective is not simply to increase activity at sea, but to build stronger institutions and closer coordination so that maritime challenges can be addressed through cooperation, communication and established international rules.
