logo
BrahMos, naval drills and a strategic pact: PM Modi pitches defence as the bedrock of India-Philippines deep mutual ties

BrahMos, naval drills and a strategic pact: PM Modi pitches defence as the bedrock of India-Philippines deep mutual ties

Time of India2 days ago
Defence topped the agenda as
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
and Philippine
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr
met in New Delhi on Tuesday, confirming a major upgrade in their relationship to a Strategic Partnership. 'Strengthening defence relations are a symbol of deep mutual trust,' said Prime Minister Modi at Hyderabad House after their talks.
For the first time, three Indian Navy ships are currently taking part in exercises in Philippine waters. This marks a significant expansion of India's security presence in the Indo-Pacific, and a tangible response to the region's growing tensions.
Productivity Tool
Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide
By Metla Sudha Sekhar
View Program
Finance
Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory
By Dinesh Nagpal
View Program
Finance
Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code
By CA Rahul Gupta
View Program
Digital Marketing
Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel
By Neil Patel
View Program
Finance
Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading
By Kunal Patel
View Program
Productivity Tool
Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide
By Study at home
View Program
Artificial Intelligence
AI For Business Professionals Batch 2
By Ansh Mehra
View Program
'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,' Modi noted.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
These Photos Captured the Exact Wrong Moment
Lintmit.com
Read More
Undo
President Marcos' five-day visit comes as the Philippines strengthens its defence partnerships to counter Chinese expansion in the South China Sea. Speaking earlier at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Marcos said, 'Indo Pacific is the correct evolution of Asia Pacific.'
The phrase reflects a shift in Manila's foreign policy thinking, increasingly aligned with like-minded democracies in the region, including India.
Live Events
India-Philippines: More weapons, more collaboration
Ahead of the visit, General Romeo Brawner, Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, confirmed that Manila is eyeing more defence purchases from India.
The
BrahMos missile system
, co-developed by India and Russia, is already on order, with two more sets expected to arrive in the Philippines over the next few years. Brawner pointed to India's quality and affordability as key reasons for expanding military cooperation.
India has also offered a concessional Line of Credit to help fund future defence acquisitions. Talks between Modi and Marcos also covered expansion of joint training, naval asset acquisition, and maritime security exercises.
India and the Philippines are due to conduct a joint naval patrol in the South China Sea this week, signalling stronger strategic alignment. Both sides continue to urge China to abide by the 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling that invalidated its broad claims in the region.
Strategic partnership now official
'It is a matter of pleasure that today we have decided to elevate our relations to the status of a Strategic Partnership,' said Modi, calling the decision a major step forward.
'A comprehensive Action Plan has also been formulated to translate the potential of this partnership into results,' he added.
President Marcos, who arrived on August 4 with First Lady Louise Araneta Marcos and several Cabinet ministers, received a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
'A special welcome for a special partner!' the Ministry of External Affairs posted on X. A Guard of Honour was presented before formal discussions began.
This is Marcos' first visit to India since taking office in 2022, and it coincides with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations.
Condolences, gratitude, and shared values
In a personal note, Modi expressed appreciation for Manila's support following the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
'To strongly condemn the Pahalgam terrorist attack and for standing with us in our fight against terrorism, we express our gratitude to the Government of the Philippines and its President,' he said.
The two leaders also discussed broader regional and global developments, agreeing on the importance of peaceful cooperation in a rapidly changing geopolitical climate.
Development projects and digital push
Alongside defence, India pledged to scale up development efforts under its Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) scheme.
'I am pleased to say that under the Development Partnership, we will increase the number of Quick Impact Projects in the Philippines,' Modi said.
The projects target areas such as disaster management, agriculture, healthcare, and livelihood support, with six already underway under a 2023 MoU.
Modi also confirmed India will help build a sovereign data cloud infrastructure in the Philippines to support digital independence and cybersecurity.
'And we will also cooperate in the development of sovereign data cloud infrastructure in the Philippines,' he added.
Trade talks, tariffs, and new agreements
Bilateral trade has crossed the 3 billion dollar mark for the first time, and both countries have now agreed to begin formal negotiations for a Preferential Trade Agreement.
Trade, however, hasn't been smooth sailing. The US has imposed 25 percent tariffs on Indian goods and 19 percent on Philippine products. Delhi and Manila are now exploring joint approaches to navigate future global trade disruptions.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, six new agreements covering science and technology, law, and culture are expected to be signed during this visit.
Historic visit, future goals
Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, summed up the visit in a post on X:
'India and the Philippines share close bonds based on the foundation of our civilisational, historical and people-to-people connections. Comprehensive discussions aimed at further cementing our enduring friendship and strong bilateral relations lie ahead.'
President Marcos' visit ends on August 8. The direction of travel is clear: deeper ties, shared risks, and a growing understanding that defence and diplomacy must now go hand in hand.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Trump's Tariffs, Xi's Handshake And Putin's Pipeline – What PM Modi Hopes To Gain At SCO Summit In China
Trump's Tariffs, Xi's Handshake And Putin's Pipeline – What PM Modi Hopes To Gain At SCO Summit In China

India.com

time25 minutes ago

  • India.com

Trump's Tariffs, Xi's Handshake And Putin's Pipeline – What PM Modi Hopes To Gain At SCO Summit In China

New Delhi: With Washington's tariff hammer falling hard and regional diplomacy entering a turbulent stretch, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is heading to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. It will mark his first visit to the country since the deadly 2020 Galwan Valley clash. Scheduled for August 31 to September 1 in the northern port city of Tianjin, the visit comes at a delicate moment. Not only is India navigating fallout from stiff new trade duties imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, but it is also facing scrutiny over its oil imports from Russia. Modi's presence at the SCO summit is being seen by many as an attempt to recalibrate India's strategic posture, especially as tensions with the West rise and ties with Beijing show signs of cautious repair. This is the prime minister's first trip to China in five years. While he last set foot on Chinese soil in 2019, he did meet President Xi Jinping briefly during the BRICS summit held in Kazan in October 2024. That interaction helped ease the freeze in high-level dialogue and set the stage for ongoing border talks. It also helped the reopening of the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra, a symbolic step toward thawing relations. But trust remains fragile. India's decision to attend the SCO summit also comes just weeks after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh refused to sign a joint statement at a key SCO defence meet. The reason was omission of any mention of the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, which left 26 dead, in the statement. Instead, the final document inserted a reference to Balochistan that was widely seen as a move pushed by Pakistan to paint India as a regional destabiliser. The omission did not go unnoticed in New Delhi. According to Indian officials, the document appeared tilted, with no acknowledgment of the human cost of the Pahalgam killings. However, in a surprise move the following month, China issued a strongly worded statement condemning the attack. It came after the United States officially designated The Resistance Front, a Lashkar-e-Taiba offshoot, as a foreign terrorist organisation. Beijing's reaction reflected a shift in tone, even if not in alignment. 'China firmly opposes all forms of terrorism and strongly condemns the terrorist attack that occurred on April 22... China calls on regional countries to enhance counterterrorism cooperation and jointly maintain regional security and stability,' said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian in a statement that caught diplomatic watchers off guard. Against this backdrop, PM Modi's China visit could carry more weight than just optics. Talks at the SCO will include 10 member countries: India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The agenda includes counterterrorism, regional security and trade. With the United States hiking tariff pressure, there is growing speculation that New Delhi may be rebalancing (less reliant on the West and more open to multilateral blocs with Beijing and Moscow in the room). There is also the likelihood of side meetings between Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, adding geopolitical heft to the summit. Founded in 2001, the SCO has evolved from a regional security bloc to a broader platform for economic and strategic cooperation. But this year's gathering comes with unusual undertones: a terror attack still unresolved, trade wars intensifying and major powers reshuffling their alliances. For India, more than being a summit, the SCO is a test of how far it can stretch its strategic space between a China that shares a tense border, a Russia that supplies its oil and a United States that is tightening the screws on both.

Putin's 'Skyfall' Nuclear Missile Ready To Bomb? Trump's 'Nuke Sniffer' Scans Russian Bases
Putin's 'Skyfall' Nuclear Missile Ready To Bomb? Trump's 'Nuke Sniffer' Scans Russian Bases

Time of India

time25 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Putin's 'Skyfall' Nuclear Missile Ready To Bomb? Trump's 'Nuke Sniffer' Scans Russian Bases

PM Modi To Visit China For The First Time Since Galwan, Timed with Trump's Aggressive Tariff War As global trade trembles under Donald Trump's latest tariff threats, Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares for a high-stakes visit to China for the SCO Summit in Tianjin (Aug 31–Sep 1). This marks Modi's first visit to China since the 2020 Galwan clash, making it a crucial moment in India-China relations. But the backdrop has changed, Trump's aggressive tariff policies are threatening global supply chains, forcing major Asian powers, including India and China, to recalibrate. With possible meetings with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin on the sidelines, Modi must balance border tensions, regional security, and now a potential global trade crisis. Will Trump's economic aggression push India and China toward a new understanding? Or deepen the divide? As India walks a tightrope, this visit may redefine regional alliances and global diplomacy.#pmmodi #xijinping #india #china #modinchina #scosummit2025 #galwanvalley #indiavschina #putin #borderdispute #indiandiplomacy #chinavisit #sco2025 #modivisit #geopolitics #regionalsecurity #indiaforeignpolicy #breakingnews #trending #trendingnow #toi #bharat #toibharat #indianews 10.9K views | 7 hours ago

2028 Olympics bombshell: Donald Trump demands gender tests for all female competitors
2028 Olympics bombshell: Donald Trump demands gender tests for all female competitors

Time of India

time28 minutes ago

  • Time of India

2028 Olympics bombshell: Donald Trump demands gender tests for all female competitors

Donald Trump demands gender tests for all female competitors : US President Donald Trump is upending Olympic planning with a contentious new proposal. In a fiery press conference, he stated that all female athletes competing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics should be subjected to gender testing , a move prompted by the controversy surrounding two female boxing champions from the 2024 Paris Games, who previously failed gender eligibility tests. He also announced a White House task force to oversee Olympic preparations. This has made people more worried about fairness in women's sports and how governing bodies are dealing with issues of gender identity. Productivity Tool Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide By Metla Sudha Sekhar View Program Finance Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By Dinesh Nagpal View Program Finance Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By CA Rahul Gupta View Program Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By Neil Patel View Program Finance Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading By Kunal Patel View Program Productivity Tool Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By Study at home View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program ALSO READ: Iran executes top nuclear scientist Rouzbeh Vadi accused of spying for Mossad — shocking details emerge Trump answered a reporter's direct question about transgender athletes in women's combat sports at a press event for the upcoming Los Angeles Olympics. He didn't beat around the bush when he said, "There will be a very strict way to test." And if the test results aren't right, they won't be able to compete in the Olympics, as per a report by the US Sun. The president didn't say exactly how the testing would be done, but he was clear that he supports stricter eligibility rules for female athletes. Live Events Why did Donald Trump want gender testing at the Olympics? After two boxers, Algeria's Imane Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting, won gold medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics by dominating their weight classes, gender testing is once again being looked at closely. But there was a lot of talk when it came out that both had been disqualified from the 2023 Women's World Championships in India for failing gender eligibility tests. ALSO READ: iPhone 17 launch date leaked and here's when the phone will be available in shelves The International Boxing Association (IBA), which was later stripped of Olympic governance by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), claimed the two athletes were ruled ineligible after confidential tests revealed they did not meet the "necessary eligibility criteria,' as per a report by the US Sun. The IOC defended the policy at the time, saying that the athletes could compete in Paris based on their passports. Trump took advantage of the inconsistency. He stressed how important it is to keep American athletes safe and said that his administration would think about taking legal action against any male athletes who "masquerade as women" to gain an unfair advantage in a competition. However, he left it up to the Department of Justice to decide what charges to bring, as per a report by the US Sun. What was the reason for the Imane Khelif scandal? Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting made the news for their great performances at the Paris Games. But their history of failing previous eligibility tests has brought up the global debate about how to classify gender in elite sports again. The IBA disqualified both athletes in 2023 because they were worried about biological advantages. Even though they could compete in the Paris Olympics under the IOC's rules, their past disqualifications made people worry about inconsistent policy enforcement. Critics say that the IOC's use of passports to determine gender doesn't do enough to make women's events fair, especially in combat sports. Will the rules for gender testing in World Athletics also apply to the Olympics? Gender testing is already common in sports other than boxing. World Athletics, the organization that runs track and field around the world, has announced new rules that will go into effect in September. These rules say that all female athletes who want to compete in big events like the World Championships must take a genetic test for the SRY gene, which tells you what biological sex you are. This rule applies to famous athletes like Keely Hodgkinson and Georgia Hunter Bell from Britain, who are expected to follow it before the Tokyo World Championships start on September 13. The tests, which can be done with a cheek swab or a blood test, are not invasive and are meant to give a clear answer. These rules aren't in place for all Olympic events yet, but Trump's comments suggest that a similar system could be put in place for the LA 2028 Games, which he is in charge of. He even said he would lead a task force at the White House to oversee important parts of the Games, which could put him at the center of this heated debate. What will happen next for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics? The rules about gender, eligibility, and fairness in women's sports are changing quickly as the Los Angeles Games get closer. There may be legal and moral problems with Trump's plan to make sex testing mandatory, but it has started a debate that is unlikely to go away. FAQs Why is Trump promoting gender testing at the 2028 Olympics? Trump's proposal follows a backlash from the Paris 2024 Games, where two female boxing gold medalists were previously disqualified due to gender eligibility concerns. Will there be gender tests in Los Angeles by 2028? It isn't official yet. Trump has proposed "strong testing," but the specific procedures and legal approval are unclear.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store