Context: During the recent official visit of the Philippines President to India, both nations have elevated their bilateral relationship to Strategic Partnership. The move aims at renewed commitments in trade, defence and maritime cooperation, and digital collaboration.
Relevance of the Topic: Mains: India-Philippines Bilateral ties.
India and the Philippines established diplomatic ties in 1949. Over 75 years, the relationship has grown steadily. In recent years, amid the rising assertiveness of China in the South China Sea, shared democratic values and strategic interests have brought the two nations closer.
Key Outcomes of the Strategic Partnership
India-Phillipines Strategic Partnership Formalised
- India and the Philippines have boosted their ties to a Strategic Partnership. India is now one of only five strategic partners of the Philippines.
India’s Strategic Partners in ASEAN:
- Vietnam: Comprehensive Strategic Partner Defence, maritime security.
- Indonesia: Comprehensive Strategic Partner Trade, energy, security.
- Singapore: Strategic Partner in finance, defence training.
- Philippines: Strategic Partner (2025) in Defence, PTA, maritime.
Trade and Economic Cooperation
- Bilateral trade between the countries has crossed over $3 billion annually and is on a rising trajectory.
- Decision to start negotiations on a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) to enhance bilateral trade further.
- Both sides committed to expediting the review of the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to further strengthen regional trade linkages.
This is especially relevant as reciprocal tariffs imposed by the U.S. have impacted India and ASEAN exports, making regional trade cooperation more important.
Defence Cooperation
- India’s indigenous defence industry is emerging as a key partner to Philippines’ ongoing military modernisation and regional maritime concerns.
- The Philippines has acquired BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles from India in 2022.
- The Philippines has expressed interest in other Indian systems like the Akash missile and air defence systems.
- Agreement to conduct service-to-service talks for enhanced joint training and information exchange between their armed forces.
Maritime & Indo-Pacific Security:
- Both leaders reaffirmed support for freedom of navigation and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region.
- The Philippines is seen as an important partner in India’s Act East Policy and MAHASAGAR vision.
- Indian naval ships, including a hydrography ship, participated for the first time in a naval exercise in the Philippines during the visit.
- The Philippines condemned the Pahalgam terror attack, expressing solidarity with India.
Digital and Scientific Collaboration:
- India to support a pilot project to help the Philippines build its Sovereign Data Cloud infrastructure.
- Ongoing joint research between the two countries in areas such as virology, AI, and additive manufacturing.
People-to-People & Connectivity Initiatives
- Direct flights between India and the Philippines to begin in 2025.
- India to offer free e-tourist visas to Filipino nationals for one year starting August 2025.
Strategic Importance of Elevated Partnership:
The partnership comes at a time when both countries are navigating economic challenges due to external trade disruptions and facing shared security concerns in the Indo-Pacific.
- Strategic Indo-Pacific Engagement: Strengthens India’s Act East Policy by partnering with a key Southeast Asian nation amid growing tensions in the South China Sea.
- Defence Diplomacy and Export Boost: Expands India's role as a defence exporter, with BrahMos as a flagship project, and supports the Philippines' military modernisation through indigenous Indian systems.
- Economic Diversification through PTA: Launch of Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) negotiations and ASEAN FTA review offers India a route to reduce dependence on traditional markets amid US tariff pressures.
- Technological and Digital Collaboration: Positions India as a reliable digital partner through initiatives like the Sovereign Data Cloud and joint research in AI, virology, and additive manufacturing.
- Maritime Security Collaboration: Enhances joint naval operations, coast guard interoperability, and supports freedom of navigation based on international law.
The elevation of ties to a Strategic Partnership marks a major milestone in India-Philippines relations. The particular focus is to deepen defence and maritime cooperation, as both countries seek to navigate their security concerns due to China’s increasing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.
“From the Indian Ocean to the Pacific, we are united by shared values. Ours is not just a friendship of the past; it is a promise to the future.” - PM Narendra Modi