Modi Hosts Marcos Jr. as India-Philippines Ties on Replay

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar has voiced optimism that the discussions will “significantly deepen” the bilateral partnership—a claim that will be tested against the largely ceremonial nature of such state visits.

The talks are expected to revisit the familiar checklist of India-Philippines relations, covering trade and investment, defence and security, maritime cooperation, agriculture, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and digital technologies.

Multiple MoUs are likely to be signed, though it remains to be seen how many will translate into tangible outcomes.

Economic ties between the two countries touched 3.5 billion US dollars in 2023-24, while defence and maritime collaboration has seen incremental progress in recent years.

Indian companies have steadily expanded their presence in the Philippines across sectors like IT, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and automobiles, but concrete large-scale projects remain limited.