India Elevates Ties Tender

INDIA VISIT. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. together with First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos arrives at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi India on Monday (Aug. 4 2025) for his five-day state visit. The First Couple was welcomed by Indias Minister of State for External Affairs Shri Pabitra Margherita Indian Ambassador to the Philippines Harsh Kumar Jain and other Indian government officials. (Presidential Photojournalists Association photo)
NEW DELHI – The Philippines and India are set to elevate their bilateral relations to a strategic partnership President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced Monday during a meeting with the Filipino community here marking the start of his five-day state visit.
“This means that from now on our cooperation will intensify further and become even more impactful in many many areas that we had not explored with India before such as defense trade and investment health tourism and other areas” Marcos said at the Taj Mahal Hotel in New Delhi.
The formal launch of the upgraded partnership would be held on Tuesday during Marcos bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi — a highlight of his first official visit to India and the culmination of 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
Marcos noted India’s growing economic influence and strategic relevance in the Indo-Pacific underscoring opportunities in investments defense cooperation and people-to-people exchanges including direct flights and visa-free entry for Indian tourists.
The President also announced the upcoming signing of a Social Security Agreement between the two countries.
While in India Marcos will also meet with Indian President Droupadi Murmu as well as lead a series of business engagements in New Delhi and Bengaluru.
These meetings aim to boost partnerships in key sectors and encourage greater participation of Indian firms in the Philippine economy.

The President is accompanied by several Cabinet members and a high-level business delegation. (PNA)