Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. received a grand ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on August 5, 2025, marking the commencement of his five-day state visit to India. The ceremony included a 21-gun salute and an inspection of the guard of honour.

On the occasion, President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were present, highlighting the importance of the event.

Accompanied by First Lady Louise Araneta Marcos and a high-level delegation including several Cabinet ministers, President Marcos arrived in India following an invitation extended by PM Modi.

This visit is significant as it is his first official trip to India since assuming office in 2022 and coincides with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and the Philippines.

The visit is expected to deepen the bilateral partnership across multiple sectors including trade, investment, defence, maritime cooperation, agriculture, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and digital technologies. Diplomatic ties between the two countries were established in November 1949, forming a robust partnership over the decades.

Before the ceremonial welcome, President Marcos was warmly received in New Delhi by Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita and had already held discussions with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Jaishankar expressed confidence that the talks between President Marcos and PM Modi would deepen bilateral relations significantly.

On the day of the welcome, President Marcos was scheduled to lay a wreath at Rajghat to honour Mahatma Gandhi, followed by bilateral talks with PM Modi at Hyderabad House. These talks are set to include the exchange of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and press statements.

Subsequently, he will meet Union Health Minister JP Nadda and later call on President Droupadi Murmu. The President will also travel to Bengaluru to meet Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot during the visit.

This state visit is a culmination event of a year-long celebration marking 75 years of India-Philippines diplomatic relations and is positioned as a milestone to further strengthen ties and explore new avenues of cooperation between the two democratic maritime neighbours under India's Act East Policy and broader Indo-Pacific strategy.

The ceremonial welcome and the comprehensive agenda of meetings underscore the importance both nations place on this relationship and the mutual desire to elevate their cooperation to new heights.

(Report synthesised from multiple news reports by ANI, UNI, PTI, among others dated August 5, 2025)