Philippines President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr received a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday, marking the start of his official engagements during a five-day State Visit to India.
Speaking at the forecourt following the ceremony, he described the visit as a reaffirmation of the deepening partnership between India and the Philippines.
Marcos Jr arrived in New Delhi on Monday at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Addressing reporters, he remarked, “This visit is the reaffirmation of the alliance and the partnership that we are strengthening. We used to be referred to as the Asia-Pacific region, now we are referred to as the Indo-Pacific region, which is a correct evolution of that understanding because of the global nature of the politics, trade and economy.”
“We are here to build upon what we (India and the Philippines) already have and certainly to explore the many opportunities that have arisen in the past few years because of the new technologies and the changing stake of the global economy and geopolitics around us,” he further stated.
As part of his official itinerary, Marcos Jr will also pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.
The President was welcomed at the airport on Monday by Union Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita.
The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal welcomed Marcos Jr warmly. He stated that the visit would further bolster bilateral ties.
Later that evening, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met the visiting leader in Delhi.
Sharing his thoughts on social media, Jaishankar posted, “Delighted to call on President @bongbongmarcos of the Philippines this evening in Delhi at the start of his State Visit. Confident that his talks with PM @narendramodi tomorrow will significantly deepen our bilateral partnership.”
Delighted to call on President @bongbongmarcos of the Philippines this evening in Delhi at the start of his State Visit.
Confident that his talks with PM @narendramodi tomorrow will significantly deepen our bilateral partnership.
🇮🇳 🇵🇭 pic.twitter.com/pxVWUIim8l
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) August 4, 2025
Marcos Jr is accompanied by First Lady Madame Louise Araneta Marcos.
During his stay, he will likely meet Prime Minister Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, and Union Health Minister JP Nadda.
On Wednesday, he will continue engagements in the capital before visiting Bengaluru on Thursday.
India and the Philippines established diplomatic relations in November 1949.
Over the decades, the partnership has expanded across multiple sectors, including trade, defence, maritime cooperation, healthcare, and digital technology.
Both countries also work closely in regional forums, particularly through India’s Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with ASEAN.
The Ministry of External Affairs noted, “India’s relations with the Philippines are an integral pillar of our ‘Act East’ Policy, Vision MAHASAGAR and our vision of the Indo-Pacific. The forthcoming State Visit of President Marcos coincides with the 75th anniversary of India-Philippines diplomatic relations. The visit is an opportunity for both leaders to set the path for future bilateral cooperation, and to engage on regional and international issues of mutual interest.”
Prime Minister Modi and President Marcos Jr had previously interacted on the sidelines of:
- 21st ASEAN-India Summit, Laos, 2024
- 19th East Asia Summit, Laos, 2024
- 20th ASEAN-India Summit, Jakarta, 2023
PM Modi also visited the Philippines in 2017 for the 15th ASEAN-India Summit and the 12th East Asia Summit.
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