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The Diplomat
5 days ago
- Business
- The Diplomat
India, Philippines Strengthen Partnership Amid China Challenge, US Unpredictability
India and the Philippines have embarked on a new chapter in bilateral relations with special emphasis on bolstering security and economic ties. The decision to upgrade their relationship, which was announced during the visit of Philippines' President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to India on August 4-8, comes amid a sharp uptick in security challenges posed by China across Asia and Southeast Asia, particularly in the South China Sea, and growing disquiet over U.S. security commitment to its partners and allies in meeting the China challenge in Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific. Marcos' visit coincided with India and the Philippines marking 75 years of diplomatic relations. Bilateral ties have been largely problem-free but were not particularly close during the Cold War decades when the two countries were on opposite sides of the divide. Subsequently, even as India focused on forging stronger economic ties with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which the Philippines is a part, China emerged as the Philippines' main partner. It is only in recent years, in the context of an aggressive China in their neighborhood, that India and the Philippines have recognized an alignment of their security interests. Speaking at a media event in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pointed out that while modern diplomatic ties may be recent, India's civilizational connection with the Philippines goes back centuries. 'The Philippine version of the [ancient Hindu epic] Ramayana—'Maharadia Lawana' is living proof of our deep-rooted cultural bond,' Modi said. In addition to elevating their relationship to a strategic partnership, the two sides said they would boost their economic partnership by growing bilateral trade from the current $3 billion. To do this, Modi said the two countries would aim to quickly wrap up a review of the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement, first signed in 2009. Separately, India and the Philippines would work towards a bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement, Modi said. Direct flights will connect India and the Philippines to support business and tourism. Both sides have decided to ease visa rules to facilitate tourism. On security ties, Modi said the defense partnership was a 'symbol of the deep mutual trust between our two countries. As maritime nations, cooperation in the maritime domain is both natural and essential.' Modi also referred to the first-ever naval exercises between the two countries that concluded as Marcos arrived in New Delhi. The 'bilateral maritime cooperative activity' is said to have taken place near the Scarborough Shoal, a major flashpoint in the maritime dispute between China and the Philippines. India's interest in the South China Sea stems from the fact that almost 55 percent of its trade passes through the South China Sea and the Malacca Straits. Modi also welcomed the Philippines' decision to join the India-based International Fusion Centre, which tracks the movement of ships in the Indian Ocean region. India considers Manila an important part of its Indo-Pacific, Indian Ocean, and ASEAN strategies, Modi added. 'Both countries face a rising challenge from China in freedom of navigation and sea lanes of communication,' Anil Wadhwa, a former Indian foreign ministry official, told The Diplomat. Additionally, 'in the case of the Philippines, there is a dispute over islands in the South China Sea.' As for India, 'it faces tensions on the land border with China. Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean is growing and their use of Pakistan as a proxy state to challenge the Indian Navy's presence in the Indian Ocean' are of concern to India. 'That is why the Philippines and India are cooperating in maritime domain awareness, naval and coast guards exchanges, and joint exercises,' Wadhwa said. In his remarks, Marcos said he viewed his India visit as a 'reaffirmation' of the 'alliance and the partnership that we are strengthening.' He pointed out that what was once referred to as the Asia Pacific region is now being referred to as the Indo-Pacific region, 'a correct evolution of that understanding because of the global nature of politics, all of trade and economy.' Later, Marcos said that the bilateral relationship had entered a 'new epoch' with the launch of the strategic partnership between the two countries. The conversation with Modi was 'far reaching,' 'productive,' and 'forward looking,' Marcos said; one of the decisions was the 'levelling up' of security cooperation. The blueprint drawn up for the strategic partnership stated that both countries will intensify dialogue and engagement in the maritime domain, promote coordination between maritime authorities and law enforcement agencies, collaborate in the production of defense equipment, and encourage investments and joint initiatives in defense research and supply chain ecosystem. The blueprint also called for full respect and adherence to international law, particularly on the rights and obligations of States under the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and its dispute settlement mechanisms, and expressed concern over coercive and aggressive actions that impact regional peace. Analysts say the emphasis on security in the India-Philippines partnership is natural, given the Marcos government's emphasis on territorial defense in the wake of its tensions with China. 'While in the past, Philippines-India ties were largely limited to issues of low politics, today, Manila has incorporated India into its security calculations as a credible and trusted defense partner at a time when China has been increasing its provocations and unilateralism in the West Philippine Sea,' former Indian foreign ministry official Anil Trigunayat and Filipino scholar Don Mclain Gill pointed out in a joint article in Firstpost. The Philippines is the first country to which India exported the Russia-India co-produced Brahmos missiles. Adding another layer of uncertainty to matters in the region are doubts about the U.S. commitment to its Asian allies and partners, especially in the context of Trump insisting that Europe pay for its own defense. Trump's tariffs have also frayed ties with countries, casting doubts over cooperation in groups like Quad and AUKUS. 'Trump is bringing unpredictability to U.S. behavior in the future in safeguarding the interests of the littoral states in the South China Sea, the Pacific and the Indian Ocean,' diplomat Wadhwa said, adding that countries like the Philippines and Taiwan are unsure whether their interests vis-à-vis China will be sacrificed by the U.S. for what it sees as its own strategic interests.' Given the many imponderables in the current international scenario, it makes sense for countries with common interests to come together and forge bonds based on shared concerns. India and the Philippines have identified areas of convergence and are now building on those to weather the unpredictability of the times.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Why Manila wants to engage more with New Delhi
The visit by President Bongbong Marcos of the Philippines to India (August 4-8) is under the aegis of the India-ASEAN Comprehensive Partnership. From that, it has drawn sustenance and inspiration to raise the bilateral partnership to a strategic one. India's partnership with the Philippines serves as a cornerstone of its 'Act East' Policy, Vision MAHASAGAR, and its broader Indo-Pacific strategy. As the two nations mark 75 years of diplomatic relations, this milestone offers a meaningful opportunity to deepen bilateral cooperation and engage in dialogue on key regional and global challenges of mutual interest. Looking ahead, the Philippines' upcoming chairmanship of ASEAN next year adds further significance to this evolving partnership. The enhancement of the relationship is strategic. The Philippines is the loudest in criticising China on its aggression in the South China Sea. Under Marcos jr, the policy of accommodating China at all costs has given rise to defending its national interest, in which engaging Japan, Australia and the US are top priorities. India now plays an important role in the Philippines' thinking. The Philippines won the arbitral award against Chinese claims in 2016, but only pursued those under Marcos. India in the last three years has been responsive to the Philippines' position on the SCS. Manila has decided to join the International Fusion Centre established by India for the Indian Ocean Region. Beyond the strategic enhancement of relationships, which positions the Philippines and Singapore among India's closest strategic partners within ASEAN, there is growing interest in expanding connectivity between India and the Philippines. Due to the geographical distance, the Philippines has long lacked direct shipping, flights, or connectivity initiatives of the kind India already enjoys with other ASEAN nations. Recent developments suggest a shift. The Philippines' decision to grant visa-free entry to Indian nationals, coupled with Air India's move to start direct flights, is expected to boost tourism and enhance people-to-people contact, an area in which the India-Philippines partnership has historically lagged behind other ASEAN countries. The success of direct connectivity in promoting tourism in countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, and Indonesia reinforces this trend. While trade and investment have traditionally been the cornerstones of India's ties with ASEAN, India-Philippines trade relations have remained modest. The Philippines ranks sixth among the 10 ASEAN member states in trade with India. In 2023–24, bilateral trade was $3.5 billion: Indian exports accounted for approximately $2 billion, while imports from the Philippines reached about $1.5 billion. The Philippines has historically been a hesitant participant in ASEAN-India trade frameworks, often being the last to ratify major agreements. However, progress is underway. Since June 2023, a new agreement on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs matters has been in place. Negotiations on a Preferential Trade Agreement have resumed, and discussions continue around the Terms of Reference (ToR) for a Trade Negotiations Committee. While the Philippines is a part of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, it has not emerged as a major trade actor in either. Its key trading partners remain China, the US, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand. Despite having a higher GDP per capita than India, the Philippines recognises India's status as an emerging economic powerhouse, growing at nearly 7 per cent annually. This recognition is prompting Manila to engage more actively with New Delhi. Indian investments in the Philippines are valued at around $5 billion, primarily in IT and ITeS, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and biomass energy. Filipino investments in India are limited but could grow, especially with the rise of regional supply chains. Financial technology is a priority area for both governments, and a MoU was signed in 2023 to strengthen cooperation. While the Philippines received 1.4 million tourists in 2023, only around 30,000 were from India. This number is expected to grow rapidly with the newly introduced visa-free travel and direct air connectivity, setting the stage for a deeper and more dynamic India-Philippines relationship. The new impetus to this is based on the wider Indo-Pacific concept, recognising the Act East Policy for its worth. The writer is author of The Mango Flavour: India & ASEAN after 10 years of the AEP
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Business Standard
05-08-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
India announces free e-visas to tourists from the Philippines, boosts ties
The development comes after the Philippines earlier this year announced that it will grant visa-free entry to Indian nationals Rahul Goreja New Delhi India will now offer free e-visas to tourists from the Philippines, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in Delhi on Tuesday, adding that efforts are underway to launch direct flights between Delhi and Manila later this year. "We welcome the Philippines' decision to offer visa-free entry to Indian tourists. India has also decided to extend free e-visa facilities to tourists from the Philippines," PM Modi said while addressing a joint press statement with the Philippines President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. Marcos is on a five-day state visit to India, concluding on August 8. The development comes after the Philippines announced earlier this year that it will grant visa-free entry to Indian nationals. #WATCH | PM Narendra Modi says, "We welcome the Philippines' decision to allow visa-free entry to Indian tourists. India has also decided to allow free e-visa for the Philippines' tourists. This year, work will be done regarding direct flights between India and Manila..."… — ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2025 Strategic partnerships for trade, development and defence In his statement, PM Modi said that bilateral trade between India and the Philippines has been steadily increasing and has now crossed the $3 billion mark. He added that completing the review of the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement is a priority, and both sides have also agreed to work towards establishing a bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement. "This year, India and the Philippines are celebrating the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations, and in this context, this visit holds special significance. Although our diplomatic relations may be new, the connections between our civilisations date back to ancient times," PM Modi said. He emphasised that both the countries have decided to elevate their relations to the status of a strategic partnership. "A comprehensive action plan has also been formulated to translate the potential of this partnership into results," PM Modi said. Under the development partnership, the PM stated that India will increase the number of 'Quick Impact Projects' in the Philippines, along with cooperation in the development of sovereign data cloud infrastructure. Defence and maritime cooperation In the defence domain, three Indian Navy ships are currently participating in naval exercises in the Philippines, marking the first such instance. A hydrography ship is also part of the mission, PM Modi said. The Philippines has been invited to join India's International Fusion Centre for maritime domain awareness in the Indian Ocean Region, he added.
