Partners

Last May 25 an Indian naval flotilla docked for a five-day goodwill visit in Malaysia’s Port Klang Cruise Center, with hundreds of school children providing the welcome ceremonies.

In Manila last Thursday, the same four-ship contingent waited at Pier 15 in Manila’s South Harbor for the arrival of guests at a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on board the warship INS Shakti, hosted by Indian Ambassador Amit Dasgupta and the commanding officer of India’s Eastern Fleet, Rear Adm. Ajit Kumar P.

At 6 p.m., I was only the second guest (I think) to arrive, after Ram Sitaldas, chairman emeritus of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce (Phil) Inc. Even the ambassador was not yet around. But an amiable, well-informed team on board briefed me on the activities of the Indian Navy in this part of the planet.

The Shakti, built by Italy’s Fincantieri Shipyard, can provide simultaneous multi-ship replenishment operations so the flotilla, with its officers and crew of 800, can stay at sea for many weeks without port calls for resupply.

With the Shakti were the Soviet-era guided missile destroyer Ranvijay and two Indian-made vessels: the guided missile corvette Kirch, built in Kolkata, and the Shivalik-class stealth multi-role frigate Satpura, built in Mumbai.

Before 7:30, there were still only a handful of guests present. Most were Indian civilian expats, who enjoyed the music provided by the Eastern Naval Command Band – India’s second largest symphonic band, which is conducted by solo cornet player and Chief Petty Officer Musician Johnson Vincent.

I decided to return to our office – a five-minute drive away. Near the gangway I bumped into the first ambassador to arrive: Singapore’s V.P. Hirubalan, with his wife Mano. They probably felt wilted and famished. I take my hat off to the ever-efficient Singaporeans – they must have taken an amphibious vehicle from the Makati-Taguig area where almost all the foreign missions and diplomats’ residences are located. Even the Indian ambassador, who resides in Dasmariñas Village, was not yet around when I left his party.

Radio reports said traffic was at a standstill around Makati after a torrential downpour in mid-afternoon spawned flashfloods last Thursday. The ship reception, a casualty of the disaster, was reset by the Indians to Saturday night.

It was a natural calamity and blame for ineffective flood control can be placed on a succession of administrations. But the unfortunate experience probably did not enhance the appeal of the country as a travel destination for the Indians, several of whom told me how much they had enjoyed their port calls before Manila in Danang, Vietnam and Klang, Malaysia.

One of the Shakti officers told me he had promised his wife and son vacations in two particular destinations: Malaysia this year, and US Disneyland in 2014.

The officers told me about their enjoyable stay from May 29 in Danang, with its natural attractions, distinctive culture and friendly people, and where they said four-star accommodations cost less than $120 a night.

As for the Philippines, the officers know little about the attractions here, like the average Indian. But they promised to take a closer look when I told them about recent surveys showing Philippine islands and resorts at the top of the preferences of international travelers.

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I’m not sure if the Indian officers were kidding when they told me Malaysia’s tourism and culture minister, Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, personally welcomed the flotilla as it docked in Klang, about 38 kilometers southwest of Kuala Lumpur.

The Malaysians must be aware of Indians’ fondness for travel and are keen to lure a large chunk of that market of 1.2 billion people – the world’s second largest – with a large middle class and numerous families with enormous wealth. Wedding packages are popular among Indians, with entire clans spending at least a week overseas for wedding rites and a post-wedding vacation.

Malaysia is targeting 28 million foreign tourists in 2014 – three million higher than in 2012 – and 36 million by 2020.

Aside from its huge budget for international tourism marketing, a recent speech by the tourism minister should give us an idea of Malaysia’s tack for luring visitors.

“Every Malaysian from the very first point of contact, such as immigration and customs officers, taxi drivers, front office staff, businesses, tour operators and the rakyat (all citizens) should double their efforts to ensure the delivery of service is of the highest standard at all times,” the minister was quoted as saying in a news report.

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Indian sailors, of course, aren’t in this region strictly for tourism. The Indian flotilla is on a two-month deployment to Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific for joint “passage exercises” for maritime security cooperation and anti-piracy activities with the countries visited.

The flotilla is a long way from its home country, but it’s good for India to reach out to Southeast Asia. And it’s good for the Philippines to strengthen its partnership with the world’s largest democracy, where English is also widely spoken. India has enough brainpower and wealth – although millions of its people still live in extreme poverty – to be a member of the nuclear club and build its own ships and other military hardware, apart from its own computers, cars and trucks.

Like the Philippines, India is also feuding with China over territory. Shakti officers emphasized to me that they have also made a port call in Shanghai and held joint exercises with the Chinese.

Regardless of the status of defense cooperation between India and China, the Philippines should welcome the presence of another strong naval power with no maritime territorial claims within the Chinese nine-dash-line.

I’ve heard Filipinos say how much they like Indians for not claiming as their own an entire ocean named after their country, unlike…

The weather was inhospitable at the Indian Navy reception last Thursday. Actual relations between the Philippines and India are warm and should be better.