PH, Australia strengthen Indo-Pacific security under 2026 NDS

The Department of National Defense (DND) on Thursday said it will cooperate with its Australian counterparts to strengthen Indo-Pacific security as Australia announced its 2026 National Defence Strategy (NDS) 2026.

“We will fully engage our Australian counterparts in contributing to the collective security of the Indo-Pacific under an overarching framework of global rules and norms and UNCLOS, in particular,” Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.said in a statement.

“We join Australia and other like-minded partners in guaranteeing regional stability through collective deterrence. Our partnership of 80 years will certainly be strengthened through this strategy,” he added.

Teodoro made the statement as the Philippine government welcomed Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles’s announcement of the Australian 2026 NDS.

“I look forward to discussing specific areas of cooperation under the NDS 2026 with Deputy Prime Minister Marles in the coming days,” Teodoro said.

The 2026 NDS aims to increase Australia's self-reliance over the longer term.

It prioritizes capability acquisition and sustainment plans that help deter threats, based on lessons from conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

It also strengthens Australia’s defence industry, expands diverse international industrial partnerships, and improves civil preparedness and national resilience to handle regional or global disruptions.

The 2026 NDS also aims to work more closely with regional partners to collectively deter actions against Australia’s interests and shape a region governed by rights and rules, not fear or force.

In August 2025, the Philippine and Australian governments reaffirmed their defense cooperation during the Philippines–Australia Defense Ministers’ Meeting in Manila.

In a joint statement, Teodoro and Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles committed to deepening defense cooperation between the two countries “amidst the challenging security environment, increasing strategic competition and unprecedented military build-up taking place in the Indo-Pacific without reassurance or transparency.”

The Defense chiefs said that the defense cooperation between the two allied nations is a “vital pillar of the Philippines–Australia Strategic Partnership.” —LDF, GMA News