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India and Philippines to work on bilateral preferential trade pact
The announcement of the strategic partnership was made after talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Philippines President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr, a day after the navies of India and the Philippines concluded a two-day joint exercise near Scarborough Shoal — an atoll at the centre of the maritime dispute between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea.
'India and the Philippines are friends by choice and partners by destiny. 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,' Modi said, with Marcos Jr by his side.
'As maritime nations, maritime cooperation between the two countries is both natural and essential,' Modi added.
At a media briefing later in the day, P Kumaran, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, said India's position on the South China Sea is 'clear and consistent', adding that India has an 'abiding interest' in peace and stability in the region, and considers it part of the global commons. He also said that India is in talks with the Philippines for the development of submarine infrastructure.
At his joint briefing with the visiting dignitary, the Prime Minister said trade between the two countries was increasing steadily and had crossed $3 billion. 'To further strengthen trade ties, it is our priority to review the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement at the earliest. We have also decided to work towards a bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement,' he said. India also extended a gratis e-tourist visa facility to Filipino nationals for one year.
Marcos said the two countries had 'agreed to continue levelling up our collaboration in defence and security', adding that the 'expanding capabilities and footprint' of India's domestic defence manufacturing industry would support the Philippines' ongoing military modernisation. 'We will foster naval and coast guard interoperability via port calls, cooperative activities, and capacity building in the maritime domain,' Marcos added.
New Delhi and Manila have shared concerns over China's assertiveness. Manila has a territorial dispute with Beijing in the South China Sea. Philippine military chief Romeo Brawner Jr has said Manila is considering ordering more weapons systems and equipment from India. The Philippines previously purchased a shore-based anti-ship missile system from BrahMos Aerospace — a contract worth 18.9 billion pesos ($329 million) — to boost its coastal defence.
Prime Minister Modi said the two countries were elevating their ties to a strategic partnership, with greater emphasis on increasing interaction among the armed forces. He said the Philippines is an important partner in India's Act East Policy and MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision.
'We are committed to peace, security, prosperity, and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region. We support freedom of navigation in accordance with international laws,' Modi said.
He added that under the development partnership, India would increase the number of Quick Impact Projects in the Philippines and also cooperate in developing sovereign data cloud infrastructure. 'Today, when the President is in India, three ships of the Indian Navy are participating in a naval exercise in the Philippines for the first time,' he said.
Modi also noted that Indian companies are active in sectors such as information and digital technology, health, automobiles, infrastructure, and minerals.
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