New Delhi, Aug 5: India and the Philippines are friends by choice and partners by destiny, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday as the two countries elevated their ties to the level of strategic partnership, with a greater thrust on increasing interaction among the armed forces.
A five-year plan of action under the strategic partnership and adoption of terms of reference for negotiations on a preferential trade agreement between the two countries were among the key outcomes announced by New Delhi after Prime Minister Modi and President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr held bilateral talks here.
The announcement of the strategic partnership was made after “wide-ranging and productive” talks between the two leaders at the Hyderabad House, and a day after the navies of the two countries conducted a joint exercise off the Philippines coast.
“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 to the future,” Modi said with Marcos Jr by his side.
The two countries signed nine pacts, including on declaration and implementation of strategic partnership, terms of reference for talks among the armies, air forces and navies of the two countries and for cooperation on peaceful use of outer space.
The prime minister said the Philippines is an important partner in India’s Act East Policy and ‘MAHASAGAR’ (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision.
“We are committed to peace, security, prosperity and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region. We support freedom of navigation in accordance with international laws,” Modi said.
“It is a matter of pleasure that today we have decided to elevate our relations to the status of a strategic partnership. A comprehensive action plan has also been formulated to translate the potential of this partnership into results,” he said.
India and the Philippines are celebrating 75 years of establishment of diplomatic relations and the two leaders released a postage stamp to commemorate the occasion.
Modi also thanked the Philippines government for condemning the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives, and for standing with India in the fight against terrorism.
The prime minister said the enhanced defence relations between the two countries are a symbol of deep mutual trust.
“As maritime nations, maritime cooperation between the two countries is both natural and essential. We have been working together in humanitarian aid, disaster relief, search and rescue,” Modi said.
He said under the development partnership, India will increase the number of Quick Impact Projects in the Philippines and will also cooperate in the development of sovereign data cloud infrastructure.
“Today, when the president is in India, three ships of the Indian Navy are participating in a naval exercise in the Philippines for the first time,” Modi said.
The prime minister said the trade between the two countries was increasing in a sustained manner and crossed USD 3 billion.
“To further strengthen trade ties, it is our priority to review the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement at the earliest. We have also decided to work towards a bilateral preferential trade agreement,” he said.
Modi said Indian companies are active in the sectors of information and digital technology, health, automobiles, infrastructure, and minerals. In the sector of science and technology, joint research is going on in areas from virology to artificial intelligence and additive manufacturing, he added.
The prime minister said the science and technology cooperation plan between the two countries will add momentum to this partnership.
Modi also said that work will be done to start a direct flight between Delhi and Manila this year.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in a post on X, termed the elevation of ties to the level of strategic partnership “an affirmation of our deepening Indo-Pacific cooperation, as we mark 75 years of diplomatic relations.”
MEA Secretary (East) P Kumaran, at a special press briefing here on the ongoing visit of President Marcos, said the Philippines has made “visa-free entry possible for Indian tourists up to a period of 14 days”.
“We expect that these measures would bolster our tourism exchanges, commercial linkages, and people-to-people interactions,” he said.
The MEA official said an Air India flight is expected before the end of this year, and the inaugural flight is likely in October.
Asked if BrahMos missiles figured in the talks, Kumaran said, “Yes, there was a discussion on defence cooperation between the two leaders, export of defence platforms including BrahMos.”
Kumaran also fielded several queries related to the just-held India-Philippines bilateral naval exercise off the Philippines.
“Our position on the South China Sea is clear and consistent. We consider the South China Sea as a part of global commons, and we support freedom of navigation, overflight in the region and legitimate commerce through the waters of the South China Sea,” the Secretary (East) said.
“India has an abiding interest in peace and stability in the region, and our position is based on the UN Convention of the Law of the Seas, UNCLOS 1982,” he said.
Earlier in the day, President Marcos was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Later, he also paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. (PTI)
