India and the Philippines officially elevated their bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership on Tuesday, marking a significant milestone in diplomatic ties. The announcement was made during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who is on a five-day state visit to India.
Calling it a “historic day for bilateral relations,” PM Modi said the new partnership would add momentum and depth to cooperation across key sectors, including defence, maritime security, trade, health, food security, and people-to-people ties.
Both leaders agreed to expedite the finalisation of a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) to promote mutual trade and strengthen economic ties. Defence cooperation also took centre stage, with President Marcos thanking India for its support in defence exports—especially the BrahMos missile system.
At a special briefing, Secretary (East) P. Kumaran confirmed that the leaders discussed broader collaboration in the defence sector, including joint exercises, maritime security cooperation, military training, and enhanced interoperability between coast guards.
Kumaran noted growing interest from the Philippines in India’s defence platforms and emphasized mutual efforts toward capacity building, disaster response, and logistics collaboration.
In a veiled reference to China, both countries expressed serious concern over aggressive actions in the South China Sea, calling for self-restraint and peaceful resolution of disputes based on international law.
They reiterated support for the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling, which ruled in favour of the Philippines in its maritime dispute with China. India and the Philippines reaffirmed adherence to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), particularly the principles related to freedom of navigation, dispute resolution, and protection of the marine environment.
A Joint Declaration on the Establishment of a Strategic Partnership was issued after the talks. The partnership is guided by a newly adopted Plan of Action (2025–2029) and aims to deepen cooperation on regional and international platforms, including the United Nations.
The strategic partnership focuses on:
- Upholding a free, open, inclusive, and rules-based Indo-Pacific
- Promoting sustainable development and climate action
- Expanding collaboration in outer space and the use of digital technologies
- Strengthening supply chains and trade facilitation
Highlighting India’s achievements in affordable space technology, PM Modi offered cooperation in applying space-based solutions for agriculture, disaster relief, and weather forecasting. President Marcos expressed keen interest in utilizing India’s space capabilities for social development.
The two countries agreed to activate and regularly convene institutional mechanisms such as the Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) and the Joint Defence Industry and Logistics Committee (JDILC) to facilitate dialogue on defence industrial collaboration, technology, research, and training.
They also committed to institutionalising military training, increasing tri-service cooperation, and expanding Service-to-Service interactions.
Recognizing their status as maritime nations of the Indo-Pacific, both sides emphasized the importance of safeguarding ocean rights and freedoms, while working together to ensure maritime domain awareness, enhance security, and uphold development goals.
President Marcos, who arrived in New Delhi on Monday, is scheduled to hold further engagements with Indian officials, business leaders, and strategic institutions during his visit.
