NEW DELHI / MANILA – India and the Philippines officially upgraded their bilateral relations to a strategic partnership on Tuesday during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s high-level visit to New Delhi, marking a significant step toward deeper cooperation in defense, maritime security, trade, and technology.
The announcement came after President Marcos met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where both leaders affirmed shared values and interests spanning the Indo-Pacific region, particularly amid rising tensions in the South China Sea.
“India and the Philippines are friends by choice, and partners by destiny,” Prime Minister Modi said during a joint press statement.
“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.”
🤝 Strategic Partnership with a Future Focus
During the summit, the two nations agreed to enhance cooperation across:
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Defense and maritime security
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Trade and economic relations
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Culture and tourism
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Space technology and innovation
The move comes as both countries face regional geopolitical challenges, including China’s increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea.
⚓ Maritime Defense & Coast Guard Cooperation
Just a day before the announcement, Indian and Philippine naval ships conducted their first joint sail in the South China Sea, signaling closer maritime cooperation.
“As maritime nations, maritime cooperation between our countries is both natural and necessary,” said Modi.
President Marcos added that the two nations will pursue interoperability between their navies and coast guards, enhanced through port visits, joint activities, and capacity-building efforts in the maritime domain.
The two sides also agreed to institutionalize defense dialogues and mechanisms to deepen coordination between their armed forces.
📈 Preferential Trade Agreement on the Horizon
With bilateral trade already exceeding $3 billion, both nations committed to work toward a preferential trade agreement (PTA) to further stimulate economic ties.
India’s expanding presence in East Asia aligns with its Act East Policy, while the Philippines sees New Delhi as a rising strategic and economic partner.
“The elevation of the relationship to a strategic partnership underscores the growing political proximity between the two nations and the alignment of broader interests,” said Manoj Kewalramani, Indo-Pacific expert at the Takshashila Institution.
🛰️ Strategic Significance in a Shifting Indo-Pacific
India’s growing engagement in the South China Sea — through defense and economic diplomacy — is aimed at supporting regional stability and securing trade routes.
“India working with like-minded countries on shared security concerns is a way to shape the strategic environment around China’s periphery,” Kewalramani noted.
“The South China Sea is vital to Indian merchandise trade — so there are substantial national interests involved.”
Tensions between the Philippines and China continue to rise over maritime territorial disputes. Despite a 2016 international tribunal ruling invalidating China’s sweeping claims, Beijing has increased its naval presence and confrontations in contested waters.
🔍 Expert View: Why the Partnership Matters
The new strategic partnership reflects a growing recognition by Manila of India’s potential role as an alternative security provider and development partner.
“Elevating strategic partnerships isn’t something that the Philippines freely tosses around — it’s earned,” said Don McLain Gill, a geopolitical analyst and lecturer at De La Salle University.
“This move shows trust in India’s capacity to contribute to Manila’s security and development calculus.”
Gill noted that future collaboration could include joint defense production, infrastructure development, and cooperation on critical minerals and emerging technologies.
“The sky is the limit for what both countries can achieve in defense and security, but also in other strategic domains,” he said.
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