The Philippines and India entered a historic phase yesterday after officially establishing a strategic partnership and signing 13 agreements for broader cooperation. The partnership declaration was made on the second day of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s five-day visit to India.
According to Marcos, the agreement aims to strengthen cooperation in areas that have not yet been fully explored, such as defense, trade, investment, health and tourism. He said, “This is a significant step for the Philippines. We chose the right time and method to advance to this level of relationship.”
The Philippines has made India its fifth strategic partner, following Japan, Vietnam, Australia and South Korea. The two countries also have a plan for the Action Plan 2025-2029 to guide projects to be implemented in the next five years.
The 13 agreements include:
Mutual legal assistance in criminal cases
Agreement on the transfer of sentenced persons
Science and technology program
Memorandum for digital technologies
Strengthening maritime cooperation and maritime security
Cultural and tourism cooperation program
Marcos and Modi also discussed strengthening defense and security. They agreed to continue information exchange, training and port calls to enhance the capabilities of the navy and coast guard. Marcos also praised India's support for the modernization of the Philippine defense, including the project for the BrahMos missile system.
On economic matters, the two leaders agreed to accelerate the development of a bilateral preferential trade agreement and expand trade and investment. They aim to strengthen the supply chain, food security, and cooperation against terrorism.
