During a joint press briefing in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warmly welcomed Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and announced that India and the Philippines have decided to elevate their bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership. The announcement came during President Marcos Jr’s official five-day state visit to India and coincides with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
PM Modi emphasized that India and the Philippines are “friends by choice and partners by destiny,” citing shared values that span from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific. He praised the deep cultural ties that predate modern diplomacy, referring to the Filipino adaptation of the Ramayana, Maharadia Lawana, as living proof of ancient connections.
One of the highlights of the bilateral talks was enhanced cooperation on security and defense. PM Modi acknowledged the Philippines’ strong condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack and thanked the country for standing with India in its fight against terrorism. He also welcomed Manila’s decision to offer visa-free entry to Indian tourists. In return, India will provide free e-visas to Filipinos and aims to launch direct flights between Delhi and Manila later this year.
PM Modi announced new Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) in the Philippines, along with support for a sovereign data cloud infrastructure. He added that collaboration would expand into space exploration, as both countries signed an agreement in this domain. Scientific research partnerships have also been intensified, covering areas such as AI, virology, and additive manufacturing.
On the trade front, PM Modi revealed that bilateral trade has exceeded $3 billion and both countries have committed to negotiating a Bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement to further deepen economic engagement. India also pledged to support the Philippines’ upcoming chairmanship of ASEAN.
Modi concluded by affirming India’s commitment to peace and a rules-based Indo-Pacific order, underlining freedom of navigation and cooperation in maritime security as critical goals. Earlier in the day, President Marcos Jr was formally welcomed at Rashtrapati Bhavan with a ceremonial reception, marking the beginning of a new chapter in India-Philippines relations.
