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Philippines President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr. on Tuesday expressed his readiness to work with India towards ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific.

 

He voiced satisfaction over the rapid pace of the Philippines’ ongoing defence modernisation and acknowledged the expanding capabilities and global footprint of India’s indigenous defence industry, citing the BrahMos project as a prime example of their growing partnership.

 

Making a joint press statement with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House in New Delhi following their bilateral discussions, Marcos announced that the two nations would enhance naval and coast guard interoperability through more port calls, cooperative activities, and capacity building in the maritime sector.

 

“We agreed to continue levelling up our collaboration in defence and security. We expressed satisfaction over the rapid pace of the Philippines’ ongoing defence modernisation and the expanding capabilities and footprint of India’s indigenous defence industry as a partner in this undertaking, exemplified by our BrahMos project. We concurred that we should be accompanied by intensified dialogue and exchanges between our defence establishments. So, we have agreed to establish mechanisms for service-to-service talks for information sharing and training exchanges amongst our militaries,” Marcos said.

 

He added that both countries would work to strengthen economic cooperation, highlighting the long-standing trade relationship spanning more than seven decades.

 

“We will foster naval and coast guard interoperability via port calls in cooperative activities and capacity building in the maritime domain. The economic sphere has been a steady engine driving our ties for seven-plus decades... We have decided to expedite the work that we are doing to forge a bilateral preferential trade agreement. We looked at leveraging mutual opportunities to boost two-way investment,” he said.

 

Marcos thanked the Indian Navy for rescuing Filipino citizens following a Houthi rebel attack last year, saying the ties between the two nations had entered “a new epoch” as he and Prime Minister Modi formally launched the strategic partnership between the longstanding partners.

 

He also expressed the Philippines’ full solidarity with India over the April 22 Pahalgam attack.

 

“As emissaries of our people, I bring with me the enduring friendship of the Filipino nation. I carry the message of our solidarity with India both over the tragic attack in Pahalgam earlier this year and in the broader fight against terrorism. Despite these challenges, I also bear felicitations on India’s remarkable transformation and inexorable march to become Viksit Bharat by 2047 under Prime Minister Modi’s guiding hand,” he said.

 

The Philippines' President noted that India had become only the fifth strategic partner for his country, underscoring the rapid growth and deepening of bilateral ties.

 

He reaffirmed the two countries’ commitment to work together in promoting maritime security, upholding the rule of law, ensuring supply chain resilience, addressing food security, countering terrorism, and tackling both traditional and non-traditional threats.

 

“I again thank the Indian people and the brave men and women of the Indian Navy, through Prime Minister Modi, for your kind rescue of our nationals in 2024 after a Houthi rebel attack. We recognise India’s influence as a first responder in this critical area, and we want to work with you for a free and open Indo-Pacific. We both have high stakes in the future of our Indo-Pacific region and in the world,” he said.

 

Marcos also thanked Modi for India’s support in advocating the peaceful settlement of disputes and adherence to international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 arbitration award on the South China Sea.

 

“I come at a crucial juncture in our bilateral partnership. Today, our relationship enters a new epoch as Prime Minister Modi and I formally launched the strategic partnership between the Philippines and India. For the Philippines, this is a momentous decision, for we take a very considered path to such elevated partnerships. Today, India becomes only the fifth strategic partner for the Philippines. This new apex attests as much to the remarkably rapid growth, broadening and deepening of our 75-year-old bilateral relationship,” he said.

 

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on Tuesday welcomed Philippines President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr. and his delegation to India, marking a visit of special significance as both nations celebrate the seventy-fifth anniversary of their diplomatic relations.

 

Addressing the joint press event in New Delhi, PM Modi highlighted the deep-rooted historical and cultural connections between the two countries, dating back to ancient times.

 

He referred to the Philippines’ version of the Ramayana, Maharadia Lawana, as a testament to these ties, and pointed to newly issued postage stamps featuring the national flowers of both nations as a symbol of friendship.

 

PM Modi and President Marcos held wide-ranging discussions covering bilateral cooperation, regional developments and the global scenario. The two leaders agreed to elevate their relationship to a Strategic Partnership and adopted a comprehensive Action Plan to convert this potential into concrete outcomes.

 

Bilateral trade has crossed 3 billion US dollars, and both sides are working to complete the review of the India–ASEAN Free Trade Agreement at the earliest. The leaders also agreed to pursue a bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement.

 

PM Modi noted active engagement between companies in sectors such as information technology, healthcare, automobiles, infrastructure and minerals. 

 

Joint research is underway in science and technology fields, from virology to AI and additive manufacturing, with a new Science and Technology Cooperation Plan signed to accelerate progress.

 

Highlighting agricultural collaboration, PM Modi said the International Rice Research Institute’s regional centre in Varanasi is working on ultra-low glycaemic index rice.

 

India will also expand Quick Impact Projects in the Philippines and assist in developing the country’s sovereign data cloud infrastructure. The partnership is set to extend into space exploration following the signing of a new agreement.

 

On defence cooperation, PM Modi described the growing ties as a reflection of mutual trust. As maritime nations, both countries continue to cooperate in humanitarian aid, disaster relief and search-and-rescue operations.

 

He noted that three Indian Navy ships are, for the first time, participating in a naval exercise in the Philippines, along with India’s hydrography ship.

 

The Prime Minister welcomed the Philippines’ participation in the International Fusion Centre in India for the Indian Ocean region, and thanked President Marcos for condemning the Pahalgam terrorist attack and standing with India against terrorism.

 

Agreements on Mutual Legal Assistance and Transfer of Sentenced Persons were signed to strengthen security cooperation.

 

In tourism, PM Modi welcomed the Philippines’ decision to grant visa-free entry to Indian tourists and announced that India will offer free e-visa facilities to visitors from the Philippines. Direct flights between Delhi and Manila are planned for this year.

 

The Cultural Exchange Programme signed on Tuesday aims to deepen historical and cultural links.

 

PM Modi described the Philippines as a key partner in India’s Act East Policy and SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision.

 

He reaffirmed India’s commitment to peace, security, prosperity and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific, supporting freedom of navigation in accordance with international law. He assured full Indian cooperation as the Philippines assumes ASEAN chairmanship next year.

 

“India and the Philippines are friends by choice and partners by destiny,” PM Modi said. “From the Indian Ocean to the Pacific, we are united by shared values. Ours is not just a friendship of the past, it is a promise to the future.”