Calling India and the Philippines as two countries which are “friends by choice and partners by destiny”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who held talks Tuesday with visiting President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr, announced the elevation of bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership.
As Marcos underlined “satisfaction over the rapid pace of the Philippines’ ongoing defense modernisation and the expanding capabilities and footprint of India’s indigenous defense industry as a partner in this undertaking, exemplified by our BrahMos project,” the two countries, focusing on greater defence cooperation and maritime security, brought out a Plan of Action (2025-2029) to guide the strategic partnership over the next five years. They also agreed to start talks on a preferential trade agreement.
The elevation of ties was announced after talks between Modi and Marcos, just a day after the navies of the two countries conducted their first joint drill off the Philippines coast, in the South China Sea.
India and the Philippines also signed nine agreements. These include talks among the armies, air forces and navies of the two countries and cooperation on the peaceful use of outer space.
At a joint press briefing along with Marcos who is in India on a five-day visit, Modi said, “India and the Philippines are friends by choice and partners by destiny. 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.” He said the Philippines is an important partner in India’s Act East Policy.
“We are committed to peace, security, prosperity and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region. We support freedom of navigation in accordance with international laws,” Modi said, emphasising that the enhanced defence relations between the two countries are a symbol of deep mutual trust.
He thanked the government of the Philippines for condemning the Pahalgam terror attack, and for standing with India in the fight against terrorism.
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“As maritime nations, maritime cooperation between the two countries is both natural and essential. We have been working together in humanitarian aid, disaster relief, search and rescue,” he said.
“Today, when the President is in India, three ships of the Indian Navy are participating in a naval exercise in the Philippines for the first time,” Modi said.
Last Saturday, India and the Philippines began “bilateral maritime cooperative activity”. Sources said India joined the efforts owing to its shared concerns about China’s growing maritime power, including in the South China Sea. And at a media briefing on the Presidential visit, the Ministry of External Affairs said India’s position on the South China Sea is “clear and consistent” and it considers it as part of the global commons.
In response to a query on the bilateral naval exercise, MEA Secretary (East) P Kumaran said India has an “abiding interest” in peace and stability in the region. Kumaran said India is in talks with the Philippines for development of submarine infrastructure.
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On Tuesday, Marcos said Modi and he agreed to cooperate further in the defence and security sector. “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, the possibilities represented by the strong upward trajectory of our true economies as it does to the growing alignment of our interests and views on the challenges and imperatives of our time,” he said.
“We agreed to continue levelling up our collaboration in defence and security,” he said.
India delivered the first batch of BrahMos missile system to the Philippines on April 19, 2024, making it the first foreign nation to acquire the missile weapon system.
“We express satisfaction over the rapid pace of the Philippines’ ongoing defense modernisation and the expanding capabilities and footprint of India’s indigenous defense industry as a partner in this undertaking, exemplified by our BrahMos project. We concurred that it should be accompanied with intensified dialogue and exchanges between our defense establishments,” Marcos said.
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The two countries have also agreed to establish mechanisms for service-to-service talks for information sharing and training exchanges among the militaries. “We will foster naval and coast guard interoperability via port calls in cooperative activities and capacity building in the maritime domain,” he said.
Modi said trade between the two countries was increasing and had crossed $3 billion. “To further strengthen trade ties, it is our priority to review the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement at the earliest. We have also decided to work towards a bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement,” he said.
Meanwhile, direct flights from Delhi to Manila are expected to commence operations from October 1 this year, MEA officials said, adding that the two countries are exploring possibilities to expand air links to additional destinations to provide a strong push to tourism, business, and people-to-people contacts.
During the joint press briefing, Marcos announced visa-free entry privileges for Indian tourists, and Modi reciprocated with a gratis e-visa facility for visitors from the Philippines.
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Marcos said that this visit made him the fifth President of the Philippines to visit India, following in his father’s footsteps, who was the first President of the Philippines to visit India.
Condemning the Pahalgam terror attack, he said, “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.”
With India and the Philippines celebrating 75 years of establishment of diplomatic relations, the two leaders released a postage stamp to commemorate the occasion.
On Tuesday, Marcos was accorded a ceremonial reception at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan. He visited Raj Ghat to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.
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It was followed by bilateral talks between Modi and Marcos. Thereafter, the two leaders witnessed the exchange of bilateral documents.
Engagements of President Marcos also include a call on President Droupadi Murmu, followed by a banquet hosted in his honour. He will also be visiting Bengaluru.
