India, Philippines elevate ties to strategic partnership; sign 13 agreements
New Delhi, Aug 5: Marking a historic milestone in bilateral relations, India and the Philippines on Tuesday elevated their partnership to the level of a Strategic Partnership, laying out a comprehensive five-year action plan to deepen cooperation across key sectors including defence, maritime security, trade, technology, and cultural exchange.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. held wide-ranging talks at Hyderabad House, where both sides committed to advancing mutual interests in the Indo-Pacific and strengthening economic and security cooperation.
The meeting coincided with the celebration of 75 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
A total of 13 agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed during the visit, including frameworks for military-to-military talks, legal cooperation, joint space initiatives, science and technology research, digital technologies, and tourism promotion. The two leaders acknowledged growing bilateral trade, which has surpassed $3 billion, and expressed intent to enhance it further. A key takeaway was the adoption of Terms of Reference for negotiations on a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), and the shared objective to expedite the review of the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement.
Defence and maritime cooperation received a major boost with agreements between the armed forces of both nations, even as three Indian Navy ships participated in a naval exercise in the Philippines , a first. India also invited the Philippines to join its Information Fusion Centre for the Indian Ocean Region.
Space cooperation also emerged as a new frontier, with a formal agreement signed between ISRO and the Philippine Space Agency. Additionally, India committed support to the Philippines in developing a Sovereign Data Cloud Infrastructure.
Tourism ties were strengthened with the announcement of a one-year gratis e-tourist visa facility for Filipino nationals and efforts to explore direct air connectivity between Delhi and Manila. The Philippines, in turn, has granted visa-free entry to Indian tourists.
A cultural exchange programme and a joint commemorative postage stamp celebrating national flowers of both countries were also launched, underscoring the historical and civilisational links between the two nations. India and the Philippines reaffirmed shared values and a commitment to peace, stability, and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific. President Marcos was received ceremonially at Rashtrapati Bhavan by President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Modi. He paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat earlier in the day.
The Philippines currently serves as India’s Country Coordinator in ASEAN until July 2027 and will assume ASEAN chairmanship in 2026. India reiterated its full support for the Philippines' leadership role in strengthening India-ASEAN relations. Describing India and the Philippines as “friends by choice and partners by destiny,” Prime Minister Modi said the new phase of strategic partnership is not just a celebration of the past but a shared promise for the future.
