Philippines President Marcos Jr To Visit India; Eyes Stronger Strategic Partnership

Philippines President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr is set to undertake a State Visit to India from 4 to 8 August 2025.

This will be his first visit to India since taking office and comes at a significant time as both nations mark the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.

The visit aims to boost cooperation across key sectors, especially defence, maritime security, trade, healthcare, digital technologies, and regional connectivity.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that the President will be accompanied by First Lady Louise Araneta Marcos and a high-level delegation that includes Cabinet Ministers, senior officials, and business leaders.

President Marcos Jr will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 5 August for bilateral talks focused on strengthening defence partnerships, conducting joint naval exercises, and enhancing maritime domain awareness.

He will also meet President Droupadi Murmu, while External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will call on him during the visit.

In addition to meetings in New Delhi, President Marcos will visit Bengaluru, India’s tech hub, to explore opportunities in innovation and digital collaboration.

Strategic Maritime Collaboration

India and the Philippines have steadily expanded their maritime cooperation, a cornerstone of India’s Act East Policy and Vision MAHASAGAR for the Indo-Pacific.

The Indian Navy has frequently engaged with its Philippine counterpart, most recently with INS Mysore, INS Kiltan, and INS Shakti, making port calls in the Philippines on 30 July.

Such exchanges reflect the growing trust and strategic convergence between the two countries.

India and the Philippines established formal diplomatic relations in November 1949, and since then have built strong partnerships across sectors, including agriculture, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, and digital governance.

They also cooperate closely under India’s Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with ASEAN, reinforcing regional stability and economic integration.

The MEA emphasised that President Marcos’ visit presents ‘a key moment’ to set the direction for future collaboration, particularly in addressing common regional challenges in the Indo-Pacific.

The Philippines, under President Marcos Jr, has shown intent to broaden its strategic partnerships with key allies like India, a sentiment he reiterated at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

This high-level visit aims to elevate India-Philippines ties to a new strategic level, focusing on defence modernisation, maritime cooperation, and shared Indo-Pacific security goals.

It also signals a broader commitment to regional partnerships rooted in mutual respect and shared democratic values.

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