New Delhi: Philippines President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr will arrive in New Delhi on Monday for a five-day state visit focused on enhancing cooperation in defence, trade, and regional security. This marks his first official visit to India since taking office in 2022.
President Marcos will be accompanied by First Lady Louise Araneta Marcos and a high-level delegation of Cabinet Ministers, senior officials, and business leaders. His visit coincides with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and the Philippines, adding a symbolic layer to the engagements planned during his stay.
The visit comes at a time of growing strategic convergence between the two nations, particularly in the maritime and defence sectors. The Philippines was the first foreign country to procure India’s BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system, with the initial delivery completed in April 2024. A new agreement to deepen defence collaboration, especially around maritime security, is expected to be signed during the visit.
Key official engagements will begin with a bilateral meeting between President Marcos and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 5. The visiting leader will also meet President Droupadi Murmu and External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar the same day. These discussions are anticipated to cover regional security, trade expansion, and technology cooperation.
President Marcos is also scheduled to visit Bengaluru later in the week, where he is likely to explore partnerships in technology, innovation, and industrial development. His five-day itinerary concludes on August 8.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs has underscored the strategic importance of the Philippines in India’s Act East Policy, Vision MAHASAGAR, and broader Indo-Pacific framework. The partnership is anchored in shared democratic values, regional interests, and longstanding cultural linkages.
Centuries-old civilizational connections between the two countries are evident in linguistic and archaeological evidence. The Tagalog language contains many Sanskrit-derived words, while artifacts like the Laguna Copperplate inscription and the Agusan Tara statue point to ancient ties between India and the Philippines.
Diplomatic relations were formally established in November 1949, and have gained momentum in recent decades through closer economic cooperation and ASEAN-driven initiatives. President Marcos and Prime Minister Modi last met on the sidelines of the 21st ASEAN-India Summit and 19th East Asia Summit in Lao PDR in October 2024, and earlier in Jakarta in 2023.
The current visit is expected to give a significant boost to bilateral engagement and pave the way for new collaborations in key strategic sectors.
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