Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has arrived in India for a five-day state visit, commencing on August 4, 2025. This visit, his first to India since assuming office in 2022, coincides with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and India. The visit aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation across various sectors, including defense, trade, and investment.
Marcos is accompanied by First Lady Louise Araneta Marcos and a high-level delegation, including several Cabinet Ministers, dignitaries, senior officials, and business representatives. He is scheduled to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu for bilateral discussions. External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar will also meet with President Marcos. Marcos will also visit Bengaluru before returning to the Philippines.
The visit occurs against the backdrop of the first joint maritime exercises between India and the Philippines in the South China Sea. These exercises, which began on August 3, are described as a "maritime cooperative activity" and involve Indian naval ships sailing with the Philippine Navy. The timing of the drills, coinciding with Marcos' visit, underscores the deepening partnership and expanding cooperation between the two nations.
During their bilateral meeting, Marcos and Modi are expected to discuss economic, defense and security, political, trade and investment cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and regional and international issues. At least six agreements in areas including law, culture and science and technology are expected to be signed during Marcos' visit. Marcos will also deliver a foreign policy address at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi.
India's Ministry of External Affairs has emphasized that the Philippines is a key partner in India's Act East Policy, Vision MAHASAGAR, and Indo-Pacific strategy. India's relations with the Philippines are an integral pillar of these policies.
The joint maritime drills in the South China Sea are seen by some analysts as largely symbolic, highlighting India's political presence and signaling a greater willingness to intervene in regional affairs. Others view the drills as a demonstration of support for the Philippines amid its struggle with China.
The Philippines is the first overseas customer to receive the BrahMos missile system from India, with a contract worth $374.9 million in January 2022. India has also played a major role in Manila's military modernization, supplying the country with hardware. Defense ties between the two countries have deepened significantly in recent years through capacity building, education and training exchanges, and information sharing.
Marcos has emphasized shared democratic values, maritime interests, and regional peace as the foundation for "deeper, broader, and more meaningful bilateral cooperation". He also stated that the Philippines and India share a commitment to upholding international maritime law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award favoring the Philippines over China.
Marcos will lead a business delegation to New Delhi and Bengaluru to meet industry leaders, particularly in the information technology (IT) sector. Several Indian business executives have requested to meet with Marcos, with a number of companies preparing to enter the Philippine market as investors.
