President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s visit to India began yesterday for a five-day state visit aimed at strengthening the "strategic relationship" between the two countries and attracting more investment. The President and First Lady Liza Marcos arrived at the Palam Air Force Station in New Delhi at around 4:50 p.m. (Philippine time) and were welcomed by Indian officials.
The President is accompanied by several cabinet members and a business delegation to meet with industry leaders, especially in the IT sector, to find investment opportunities. Marcos said he wants to see concrete benefits for Filipinos such as cheaper medicine, better connectivity, and food security.
The cooperation plan between the two countries will cover defense, trade, investment, health, agriculture, tourism, and other fields. The President will meet with Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In addition, many Indian CEOs are expected to meet Marcos in Bangalore, known as the Silicon Valley of India.
The President and his cabinet also plan to discuss the Department of Agriculture's proposal to raise taxes on imported rice and temporarily halt rice imports for 45 to 60 days. This aims to protect local farmers and prevent a drop in rice prices.
Overall, Marcos believes that the two largest democracies in Asia have great potential for deeper cooperation that will bring peace, stability, and prosperity not only to the Philippines and India but to the entire Indo-Pacific region.
