Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. began a significant five-day state visit to India on Monday, marking the first official trip by a Filipino head of state to the country since 2007 and setting the stage for expanded cooperation between the two nations.
The visit, which runs through August 8, comes as India and the Philippines commemorate 75 years of diplomatic relations and seek to strengthen their strategic partnership amid growing regional security challenges, particularly in the South China Sea.
Defense collaboration is expected to dominate discussions between President Marcos Jr. and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will hold delegation-level talks on Tuesday. The two countries have already made significant strides in military cooperation, with the Philippines becoming the first foreign buyer of India's BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system through a $374.9 million deal signed in January 2022.
"The Philippines is looking to purchase more weapon systems from India, citing the quality and affordability of Indian defense equipment," said Romeo Brawner, chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, ahead of the visit. Two additional sets of the India-Russia jointly developed missile systems are expected to arrive in the Philippines over the next few years.
The timing of the visit is particularly noteworthy, as India and the Philippines conducted joint maritime patrols in the South China Sea just days before Marcos Jr.'s arrival, demonstrating their shared commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the contested waters.
Beyond defense, both leaders are expected to focus heavily on expanding trade and investment ties. Bilateral trade has shown impressive growth, crossing $3 billion for the first time in 2022-2023 and reaching $3.53 billion in 2023-24—an 8.6 percent year-on-year increase.
Indian companies have invested approximately $5 billion in the Philippines, primarily in IT services, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and agriculture. Meanwhile, Philippine firms have made strategic investments in India's renewable energy and infrastructure sectors.
The two countries are also working toward concluding a bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement, with negotiations recently resumed to enhance commercial ties further.
President Marcos Jr.'s itinerary includes meetings with President Droupadi Murmu and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in New Delhi, followed by business engagements in Bengaluru. He will also connect with the Filipino diaspora community during his stay.
"Both countries have developed a strong partnership across a wide spectrum of areas, including trade and investment, defense and security, maritime cooperation, agriculture, healthcare, pharmaceuticals and digital technologies," External Affairs Minister Jaishankar noted in a statement.
The visit represents a significant milestone in India's "Act East" policy and its broader Indo-Pacific strategy. As both nations face common challenges from regional maritime disputes and seek to diversify their strategic partnerships, this high-level engagement signals their commitment to deeper cooperation.
With six agreements expected to be signed across science and technology, law, and culture, the Marcos Jr. visit promises to set a new trajectory for India-Philippines relations as they enter their eighth decade of diplomatic partnership.
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