Navy representatives from member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India gathered in Manila to conclude final planning arrangements for the second ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME 2026), scheduled to take place from September 28 to October 2.
The Final Planning Conference brought together senior naval planners to map out tactical manoeuvres and operational logistics.
Comprehensive exercise structure and operational scope
The upcoming drills will feature two distinct phases: a shore phase hosted in Manila focusing on professional exchanges, cross-deck visits and subject matter expert discussions, followed by a sea phase in the South China Sea designed to test joint communication, search and rescue and tactical maritime manoeuvres, according to a report by the Hindustan Times.
The second iteration of the exercise builds upon the framework established during the inaugural AIME held in 2023.
The publication noted that the joint manoeuvres aim to enhance operational interoperability, foster mutual trust and promote practical co-operation among participating ASEAN navies and the Indian Navy.
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Regional security goals
The Philippine Navy will play a central role as co-host and participant in the international drills.
The Philippine military leadership highlighted that hosting the planning conference in Manila emphasises the Philippines’s active commitment to regional security architecture and multilateral defence engagements.
Philippine Navy officials confirmed that the September exercise will involve warships, maritime patrol aircraft and specialised naval personnel.
The drills are structured to address shared maritime safety challenges, strengthen joint response capabilities against non-traditional security threats and safeguard crucial sea lines of communication across the region.
Significance in a tense Indo-Pacific
An analysis published by India Sentinels emphasised that AIME 2026 holds an important strategic weight amidst heightened geopolitical friction across the Indo-Pacific.
The publication noted that the joint initiative reflects India’s “Act East” policy and ASEAN’s emphasis on regional centrality, serving as a co-operative platform to preserve a rules-based maritime order, protect freedom of navigation and support peaceful dispute resolution under international law.
The members of ASEAN are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.
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