Are India and the Philippines Friends by Choice and Partners by Destiny?

New Delhi, Aug 5 (NationPress) Celebrating the robust relationship between India and the Philippines, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remarked that the two nations are "friends by choice and partners by destiny." He highlighted that although their diplomatic relations are relatively recent, the cultural links have existed since ancient times, referring to the Philippines' Ramayana Maharadia Lawana as a "living proof" of these enduring ties.

During a joint press conference with Philippine President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi following their bilateral discussions, PM Modi warmly welcomed the visiting leader and pointed out that both nations are set to commemorate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2025.

"India and the Philippines are friends by choice and partners by destiny. From the Indian Ocean to the Pacific, we are united by shared values. Ours is not just a friendship of the past; it is a promise for the future," stated PM Modi.

PM Modi also expressed appreciation to President Marcos and his administration for their strong condemnation of the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which resulted in 26 fatalities and numerous injuries. He welcomed Manila's move to grant visa-free entry to Indian tourists.

"We express gratitude to the Philippines Government and President for condemning the Pahalgam attack and standing with us in our fight against terrorism. The agreements signed today regarding mutual legal assistance and the transfer of sentenced persons will further enhance our security partnership. We welcome the Philippines' decision to provide visa-free entry to Indian tourists, while India will also introduce a free e-visa facility for tourists from the Philippines. This year, we aim to initiate direct flights between Delhi and Manila," added PM Modi.

Extending India's support for the Philippines' chairmanship of ASEAN, which will commence next year, PM Modi reaffirmed India's dedication to peace, security, prosperity, and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region.

"The Philippines is a crucial partner in our Act East Policy and Mahasagar Vision. We are committed to ensuring peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region while strongly advocating for freedom of navigation as per international law," he remarked.

Prime Minister Modi noted that the growing defense relations between India and the Philippines serve as a "symbol of deep mutual trust." He announced India's intention to scale up the number of Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) in the Philippines.

"Our enterprises are actively engaged across various sectors, including information and digital technology, health, automobiles, infrastructure, and minerals. In science and technology, collaborative research is currently underway in fields ranging from virology to AI and additive manufacturing (ADQ). The finalized Science and Technology Cooperation Plan will further expedite this progress. I am pleased to announce that under the Development Partnership, we will increase Quick Impact Projects in the Philippines and collaborate on developing a sovereign data cloud infrastructure there," PM Modi stated.

He also informed that India and the Philippines will join forces in the space sector. "Our partnership on Earth is already robust, and we have begun preparations for the space sector as well. An agreement has been signed today in this regard. Our expanding defense ties are a symbol of deep mutual trust. As maritime nations, maritime cooperation between our two countries is both natural and necessary," he said.

PM Modi indicated that India and the Philippines are working towards a Bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement. He mentioned that during their discussions, both leaders addressed various areas of mutual cooperation, regional issues, and international situations.

"Dialogues at every level and collaboration across all sectors have been the hallmark of our relations for a long time. Today, the President and I engaged in an extensive discussion on mutual cooperation, regional issues, and global situations. It is gratifying that we have decided to elevate our relations to a strategic partnership. To realize the potential of this partnership, an extensive action plan has been established. Our bilateral trade continues to grow and has surpassed $3 billion. To further bolster this, we prioritize completing the review of the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement at the earliest. We have also resolved to pursue a Bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement," PM Modi concluded.

Earlier, Philippine President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr received a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.