India and the Philippines have entered a new era in their bilateral relationship, marked by the formal upgrade to a Strategic Partnership—a move that underscores the centrality of defence and maritime cooperation on both sides.

This elevation was finalised during a five-day visit to New Delhi by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., which also commemorated 75 years of diplomatic ties between the two nations. The milestone was symbolised by the joint issuance of a commemorative postage stamp, capturing the growth and promise of India-Philippines relations.

Defence emerged as the bedrock of this new partnership. Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised that the strengthening of defence relations reflects deep mutual trust, stating after their talks, “India and the Philippines are friends by choice and partners by destiny.

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”. The two leaders committed to a comprehensive action plan to translate the potential of this partnership into concrete results, focusing on enhanced cooperation in defence, maritime security, and economic engagement.

One of the most striking developments is the active participation of three Indian Navy ships in exercises in Philippine waters for the first time ever—an unprecedented gesture that displays India’s expanding blue-water navy capabilities and intent to contribute to Indo-Pacific security.

The joint exercise, which included naval maneuvers, air defence drills, communication checks, and rendezvous operations, took place amid growing tensions in the South China Sea.

While the exercises did not provoke hostile incidents, Indian and Philippine ships were shadowed by Chinese naval vessels, underlining the strategic significance and regional sensitivity of this cooperation.

This joint activity is more than a symbolic show of force; it is a tangible response to the region’s evolving security architecture and reflects a broader alignment of interests between the two democracies.

For Manila, which is strengthening its defence relationships to counter Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea, deepening ties with India fits into its recalibrated foreign policy—a shift from the narrower “Asia-Pacific” lens to the broader “Indo-Pacific” concept. As President Marcos articulated, “Indo Pacific is the correct evolution of Asia Pacific,” indicating the Philippines’ strategic realignment towards greater engagement with democratic partners like India.

Another cornerstone of the partnership is arms cooperation. India previously secured a landmark $375 million contract to supply BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines, representing India’s first major missile export and laying the groundwork for further weapons procurement discussions.

More agreements in defence, trade, connectivity, digital technologies, and development cooperation are in the pipeline, reflecting the broadening and deepening scope of bilateral engagement.

Economic ties are also receiving renewed priority, with bilateral trade exceeding $3.3 billion in 2024–2025 and collaborative efforts underway to finalise a Preferential Trade Agreement.

Both leaders reaffirmed support for the ongoing review of the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement, seeking to open new opportunities in sectors such as renewable energy, critical minerals, digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and infrastructure.

To sum up, the newly inked Strategic Partnership between India and the Philippines represents a forward-looking, multi-dimensional collaboration that is deeply anchored in mutual trust, shared democratic values, and a joint commitment to regional stability.

Defence and maritime cooperation now serve as the keystone of this relationship, not only responding to shared security challenges in the Indo-Pacific but also positioning both countries as key stakeholders in shaping the regional order.

This evolving partnership is expected to have significant strategic and economic implications for the broader Indo-Pacific region in the years to come.

Agencies