New Delhi, Aug 4: Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. arrived in New Delhi on Monday afternoon for his first State Visit to India, as the two nations commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. President Marcos was received at the airport by Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita and accorded a ceremonial welcome.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called the visit a significant moment in India-Philippines ties, which are anchored in shared civilizational links, mutual strategic interests, and growing economic engagement. “This visit will lead to further strengthening of India and Philippines relations,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on social media platform X.
India and the Philippines formalised diplomatic ties in November 1949, but their historical connections stretch back centuries. Linguistic and cultural influences including Sanskrit-origin words in Tagalog, the ancient Kavi-script Laguna Copperplate Inscription, and the localised Ramayana version Maharadia Lawana, bear testimony to early Indian influence on the archipelago.
As India pivoted towards East and Southeast Asia with the launch of its “Look East” Policy in 1992, later rebranded as “Act East” bilateral ties with the Philippines saw renewed vigour. The Philippines is now seen as a vital partner in India’s Indo-Pacific outreach, Vision MAHASAGAR, and maritime engagement in ASEAN.
The two countries have maintained a regular high-level dialogue in recent years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Marcos last interacted during the 21st ASEAN-India Summit and 19th East Asia Summit in Vientiane, Lao PDR, in October 2024. They had earlier met on the sidelines of the ASEAN-India Summit in Jakarta in September 2023. External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo held multiple rounds of talks over the past year. The two met in March 2025 during the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi and again in July 2024 in Vientiane. Dr. Jaishankar also visited Manila in March 2025, where he called on President Marcos and held meetings with defence and foreign policy counterparts.
Economic engagement remains a cornerstone of bilateral ties. Two-way trade reached USD 3.5 billion in 2023–24, driven by Indian exports in pharmaceuticals, IT services, textiles, and agriculture. India is currently the largest exporter of pharmaceutical products to the Philippines, with pharma exports increasing from USD 290 million in 2020–21 to USD 460 million in 2024–25. Indian businesses have a visible presence in the Philippine market across sectors such as infrastructure, automobiles, healthcare, and chemicals. Notably, Indian firms contributed to building the passenger terminal at Clark International Airport between 2018 and 2020.
As part of the 75th-anniversary celebrations, a commemorative logo was unveiled in November 2024 by EAM Dr. Jaishankar and Philippine Ambassador Josel F. Ignacio in New Delhi. The symbolic gesture reflects a shared commitment to further deepen multifaceted ties in the years ahead. President Marcos’s ongoing State Visit is expected to include wide-ranging discussions with Indian leaders on defence, economic partnership, and regional security, further consolidating a relationship that draws strength from both ancient connections and contemporary strategic interests.
