New Delhi: Three Indian Navy ships are in the Philippines with an aim to further strengthen maritime cooperation with that country, an official said on Monday. Their visit is part of an “operational deployment” of the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet to the South China Sea. Indian Navy ships -- INS Delhi, INS Shakti and INS Kiltan -- arrived in Manila on Sunday, a spokesperson of the Navy said. The aim is to further strengthen the longstanding friendship and maritime cooperation, the official said. The ships were accorded a warm welcome by the Philippines Navy. “The ships will also participate in a Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) with the Philippines Navy,” the spokesperson said.