Marcos in Delhi: A new chapter in Indo-Philippine relations

By all accounts, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s August 2025 visit to India is more than a symbolic commemoration of 75 years of diplomatic ties, it was a geopolitical reset. His state visit resulted in the formal elevation of India–Philippines relations to a Strategic Partnership, a milestone that will reverberate far beyond the bilateral corridor. With defence, trade, maritime security, and people-to-people ties at the center, the partnership reflects the strategic convergence of two democracies navigating the turbulence of an increasingly contested Indo-Pacific.

Historic Ties, Renewed Purpose

The India–Philippines relationship has long been warm but under-leveraged. While cultural and civilizational links date back over a millennium, evident in Sanskrit-derived words in Tagalog, and early trade between Indian and pre-colonial Southeast Asian kingdoms, contemporary ties were formalised in 1949, with a Treaty of Friendship signed in 1952. However, for decades the relationship remained modest, with bilateral trade volumes averaging under $2 billion annually and limited security engagement.

That is changing.

Defence: A Strategic Pivot Anchored in Maritime Security

One of the most striking outcomes of the Marcos–Modi summit was the decision to deepen defence cooperation, including joint maritime patrols, defence manufacturing, and technology sharing. India has already delivered BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines under a $375 million deal, the first export of this weapon system, and a signal of deepening trust.

The joint statement further revealed that the two sides will collaborate on submarine infrastructure development in the Philippines, marking a bold step towards building indigenous maritime capability in a country that currently lacks a submarine fleet. The Philippines is also modernising its armed forces under the Revised AFP Modernization Program (RAFPMP), and India has emerged as a preferred partner for affordable, reliable defence platforms.

The first-ever joint naval exercise between the Indian Navy and the Philippine Navy was conducted in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) on August 3, 2025. This involved Indian warships INS Delhi, INS Shakti, and INS Kiltan, and Philippine ships BRP Jose Rizal and BRP Antonio Luna. The presence of Chinese surveillance ships shadowing the exercise underscored the geopolitical stakes.

India has also offered to supply other equipment, including radars, coastal surveillance systems, and patrol vessels to boost Manila’s maritime domain awareness.

Indo-Pacific: Aligning Strategic Visions

The Philippines, under Marcos, has taken an unambiguous stand on regional sovereignty. In his address in New Delhi, he described the Indo-Pacific as the "correct evolution" of the Asia-Pacific, indicating support for India’s vision of a free, open, and rules-based region.

India’s “Act East Policy” and the Philippines’ own pivot to multi-alignment in foreign policy find synergy here. Both nations are members of the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) and the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercises (AIME). They also support the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Tribunal ruling, which invalidated China’s expansive claims in the region, a ruling China continues to ignore.

Economics and Trade: Laying the Foundation

During the summit, Prime Minister Modi and President Marcos pledged to double bilateral trade to over $4 billion by 2028, up from the current $2.7 billion in 2024–25.

India exported $1.9 billion worth of goods to the Philippines in 2024, with pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, auto components, iron and steel, and machinery leading the basket. The Philippines, in turn, exported $0.8 billion to India, mostly in electronics, food products, and copper concentrates.

The leaders jointly called for the early review of the ASEAN–India Free Trade Agreement (AIFTA) to address trade imbalances and reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers. Marcos strongly backed India’s inclusion in regional supply chains, especially in pharmaceuticals, digital economy, and renewable energy, sectors where India has a global edge.

India has offered to support the Philippines’ push for universal digital health, e-governance, and financial inclusion through platforms like Aadhaar and UPI, which are being increasingly exported globally.

People-to-People & Tourism: A New Era of Mobility

In a major boost to cultural and economic exchange, India has extended free e-visas to Philippine nationals, while Manila now allows visa-free travel for Indian tourists for up to 30 days. This policy, launched in June 2025, has already led to a 12% spike in Indian tourist arrivals to the Philippines.

The upcoming launch of direct flights between New Delhi and Manila, expected by the end of 2025, is poised to further facilitate tourism, business travel, and academic exchanges.

Filipino professionals in India, especially in the healthcare and education sectors are increasing in number, while Indian students in the Philippines (mostly in medical universities) number over 15,000. Both sides agreed to enhance mutual recognition of degrees and facilitate academic partnerships.

Space, Agriculture, and Tech: Expanding Horizons

India and the Philippines also signed MoUs in space cooperation, including satellite data sharing, weather forecasting, and disaster resilience. The Philippines, highly vulnerable to typhoons and earthquakes, stands to gain from India's ISRO-backed disaster warning systems and remote-sensing technologies.

Agricultural cooperation was another priority, with India offering support in rice seed technology, organic farming, and irrigation. The Philippines, a net food importer, has been looking to diversify supply sources and adopt sustainable practices amid climate-related challenges.

The two countries also pledged cooperation in AI, cybersecurity, fintech, and semiconductor design, areas where India's digital ecosystem can provide scalable, low-cost solutions.

Geopolitical Implications: A Balancing Act

This partnership is as much about bilateral ties as it is about recalibrating regional power dynamics. For India, engaging with Southeast Asia is critical to balancing China’s assertiveness and securing its maritime trade routes. For the Philippines, India represents a non-Western, technologically capable, and values-aligned partner who respects sovereignty.

The strategic embrace, however, will be tested by how both countries manage their ties with China. Manila’s recent clashes with Beijing over the Second Thomas Shoal and Scarborough Shoal have intensified tensions, even as it remains dependent on Chinese trade and investments. India’s own border disputes and competition with China for regional influence further complicate the equation.

Yet the logic of diversification is compelling: India offers the Philippines defence technology without strings, development assistance without debt traps, and partnership without patronage.

As the dust settles on President Marcos Jr.’s India visit, the message is clear: India and the Philippines have moved from pleasantries to pragmatism, from cooperation to co-strategy. Their new Strategic Partnership is more than an MoU, it is a realignment of interests, values, and capabilities in a world that increasingly demands resilient middle-power coalitions.

The road ahead will require consistency, investments, and political will. But the trajectory is set. As two democratic anchors in Asia, India and the Philippines are no longer on the sidelines of Indo-Pacific geopolitics, they are shaping it.