• India and the Philippines elevated ties to the level of ‘Strategic Partnership’. 

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr held bilateral talks in New Delhi on August 5.

• President Marcos was accompanied by the First Lady, Louise Araneta Marcos and a high-level official delegation including several Cabinet Ministers of the Philippines and a high-level business delegation.

• President Marcos was accorded a ceremonial reception at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. 

Highlights of the meeting:

• A Plan of Action (2025-29) under the ‘Strategic Partnership’ and adoption of terms of reference for negotiations on a Preferential Trade Agreement between the two countries were among the key outcomes announced. 

• The two countries signed nine pacts, including on declaration and implementation of ‘Strategic Partnership’, terms of reference for talks among the armies, air forces and navies of the two countries and for cooperation on peaceful use of outer space.

• PM Modi said the Philippines is an important partner in India’s ‘Act East’ Policy and MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision.

• India and the Philippines celebrated 75 years of establishment of diplomatic relations and the two leaders released a postage stamp to commemorate the occasion.

India-Philippines Relations

• India and the Philippines formally established diplomatic relations on November 26, 1949.

• When India launched the Look East Policy and intensified partnership with ASEAN in 1992, this also resulted in stronger relations with countries in the region including the Philippines, both bilaterally and in the regional context. 

• With the Act East Policy initiated in 2014, the relationship with the Philippines diversified further.

• India and the Philippines share warm and friendly relations, which have provided a firm basis to our expanding bilateral cooperation ranging from political exchanges, trade & investment, defence & security, healthcare & medicine, agriculture, development partnership, engagement in new technologies to tourism, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

• The umbrella bilateral mechanism is the Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) co-chaired by the Minister of External Affairs and the Philippines Secretary of Foreign Affairs.

• The Philippines has been supportive of a greater role for India in the UN Security Council. There are regular consultations between delegations of both countries in the UN and other multilateral fora.

• The defence ties between the two countries have been on a significant upswing in the last few years. In April, India delivered the first batch of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines, in reflection of the growing military ties. The supplies came over two years after India inked a $375 million deal with the Southeast Asian nation to supply the weapon systems.

• The bilateral trade increased from $1.89 billion in 2015-16 to $3.05 billion in 2022-23, crossing the $3 billion mark for the first time.

• The major items of export from India to Philippines include engineering goods, automobiles part and accessories, transmission apparatus, electric transformers, petroleum products, semi-finished products of iron and steel, drugs and pharmaceuticals, organic and inorganic chemicals, electronic goods, bovine meat, oil seeds, tobacco, groundnuts and others. 

• The major items of import from Philippines include electrical machinery, semiconductors, ores, slag and ashes, copper, lead, plastics, pearls and precious stones, residue and waste from food industry, animal fodder and others.

• Estimated Indian investments in the Philippines are valued around $5 billion.

• The Indian community in the Philippines is estimated to be around 1,50,000. 

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)