President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s first state visit to India marks a key moment in the 75-year India–Philippines partnership
India has emerged as a potent regional power in the Indian subcontinent and has successfully built connections with several countries in the region. Its “Act East” policy has reaped rich dividends and has forged alliances with ASEAN countries. Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr’s state visit to India should be seen in this light. In a friendly diplomatic gesture marking the 75th anniversary of ties between the two nations, the Philippine President is on a five-day state visit to India from August 4 to 8, 2025. This is his first visit to India as President and comes at a time of deepening regional realignments and growing convergence between New Delhi and Manila. The visit signals a shared intent to strengthen cooperation across strategic, economic, and cultural spheres, and gives fresh momentum to a bilateral relationship that has remained steady, if understated, for decades. President Marcos’s visit follows closely after a historic joint naval operation in the South China Sea — the first of its kind — where Indian warships sailed alongside Philippine vessels within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone. This symbolic and strategic cooperation underlines a new chapter in defence ties, particularly as the Philippines seeks to modernise its armed forces amid rising regional tensions.
India, having already supplied BrahMos supersonic missile systems in a landmark $375 million deal, is now expected to explore further military cooperation, including technology transfers, coastal surveillance, and joint patrols. Beyond defence, the agenda during the visit covers a wide arc — from trade and investment to science, education, and cultural exchange. In recent years, bilateral trade has crossed the $3 billion mark, with India exporting pharmaceuticals, IT services, engineering goods, and textiles, while importing electronics and minerals from the Philippines. Diplomatic ties between the two countries date back to November 1949, followed by the Treaty of Friendship in 1952. India’s growing stature in Asia and the Philippines’ strategic importance converged in the framework of India’s “Look East” policy, which later evolved into the more dynamic “Act East” policy under Prime Minister Modi — a policy that receives a significant boost from President Marcos’s visit. For India, the Philippines is a key partner in its Indo-Pacific vision. Strategically located at the maritime crossroads of Southeast Asia, the Philippines sits adjacent to key shipping routes and plays a vital role in shaping the balance of power in the South China Sea — one of the world’s most contested and economically critical waterways. Moreover, it shares India’s security concerns and is equally wary of China becoming a dominant force in the South China Sea. In recent years, both nations have voiced support for international law, particularly the 2016 arbitration ruling that invalidated China’s expansive maritime claims. The Philippines is an indispensable node in India’s outreach to ASEAN and its broader Indo-Pacific strategy. India and the Philippines are discovering a compelling logic to walk together — not merely as friends from the past, but as partners shaping the future of the Indo-Pacific.
