Brief Brief on India-Philippines Bilateral Relations

India and the Philippines formally established diplomatic relations on 26 November 1949, shortly after both countries gained independence [Philippines in 1946 and India in 1947]. Relations have been friendly with shared values and commonalities, such as vibrant democratic polity, pluralistic society, rule of law, an independent judiciary and free press, and the widespread use of the English language.

Culturally, like many of the countries in the region, Philippines also enjoyed civilizational links with India. However, in the case of the Philippines, this is yet to be fully explored and documented in a systematic way. The presence of numerous words with Sanskrit roots in Tagalog(the local language) and objects such as the Laguna Copper Plate inscription, the oldest artifact discovered in the Philippines written in Kavi derived from Pallava script; the golden statue of Agusan Tara; and the localized version of Indian epic Ramayana (Maharadia Lawana) testify to the historical links between the two countries.

When India launched the Look East Policy and intensified partnership with ASEAN in 1992, this also resulted in stronger relations with countries in the region including the Philippines, both bilaterally and in the regional context. With the Act East Policy initiated in 2014, the relationship with Philippines has diversified further into political-security; trade and industry and people-to-people realms. Coupled with current development trajectory in the Philippines, the stage appears to be set for further intensification in bilateral relations, covering a broad canvas of consultations and cooperation on matters related to foreign policy, security, defence, trade, finance, tourism, health, agriculture, people-to-people relations and culture.

1. Political relations:

(a) High level visits/Interactions:

Bilateral relations have strengthened over the years with the exchange of high level visits, telephonic conversations, virtual meetings, etc. which continued even during the Covid-19 pandemic. On 7 Sep 2023, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. had a brief pull aside meeting on the sidelines of 20 th ASEAN-India Summit held in Jakarta. In June 2023, Secretary of Foreign Affairs(SFA), Enrique A. Manalo visited India for the 5th JCBC. He also called on the Vice-President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar during his visit and delivered the 42nd Sapru House lecture at ICWA. Earlier in January, he addressed the Foreign Ministers’ Session of Voice of the Global South Summit(VOGSS) held virtually in the chairmanship of Dr. S. Jaishankar, Hon’ble External Affairs Minister. Speaking on the occasion, SFA stressed on sustainable development, global health, and climate change.

The year 2022 saw many high level interactions. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi spoke over phone with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. [05 Aug] and congratulated him for his election as the 17th President of the Philippines. PM reiterated the important role that Philippines plays in India’s Act East Policy and its Indo-Pacific vision, and expressed the desire to further expand bilateral relations. Earlier, EAM Dr. S Jaishankar visited Manila from 13 to 15 February and met then SFA Mr. Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. during which the whole gamut of bilateral relations was discussed. Upon EAM’s invitation SFA Locsin visited India on a bilateral visit from 23 to 26 April and also participated in Raisina Dialogue 2022 during the visit. On 30 June, Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, MOS(RRS) attended the inauguration of H.E. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as 17 th President of the Philippines as the Special Envoy of the PM. On 12 Nov, 2022 EAM met the SFA, Mr. Enrique A. Manalo on the sidelines of the 19th ASEAN Summit in Cambodia. Both took stock of the bilateral relations and agreed to explore the potential for further strengthening it.

In June 2020, PM had held a telephonic conversation with President Rodrigo Duterte during which PM assured President Duterte of India’s commitment to support the Philippines in its fight against the pandemic. In November 2020, EAM and SFA Locsin co- chaired the 4 th bilateral Joint Commission meeting in virtual mode. The two Foreign Ministers also held a telephonic conversation in April 2021 and discussed COVID-19 situation and the Indo-Pacific.

Other recent high level interactions include state visit of President Shri Ram Nath Kovind [October 2019 to mark 70 th anniversary of diplomatic relations], President Duterte (January 2018 for 25 th ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit) and Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi (November 2017 for 15 th ASEAN India Summit, with a strong bilateral component). EAM also met SFA Locsin in August 2019 on the margins of the 9th East Asia Summit (EAS) and 26th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Bangkok.

Past visits between the two countries include visit of the Philippines Vice President Diosdado Macapagal to India in 1961, stop-over visit of Philippines President H.E. Ferdinand E. Marcos [1976] and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to the Philippines in 1981. The ‘Look East policy’ resulted in increased frequency of high-level contacts and saw visits to the Philippines by Presidents R. Venkatraman [1991] and Abdul Kalam [2006], Cabinet Ministers and other political dignitaries from India. Similarly, from the Philippines, there have been visits by Presidents Fidel Ramos [1997] and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo [2007], Cabinet Ministers and other high level political dignitaries.

The annual ASEAN/EAS Summits have provided an excellent platform for regular meetings between leaders from both countries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a bilateral meeting with President Aquino of Philippines in November 2014 in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar during the 12 th ASEAN-India/9th EAS summit. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh visited Cebu, Philippines in January 2007 for the 5 th ASEAN-India and 2 nd East Asia Summits. The Vice President of the Philippines Mr. Jejomar C. Binay led a high-powered delegation to India in December 2012 for the 10 th ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit in New Delhi.

(b) Institutional Bilateral Mechanisms:

The umbrella bilateral mechanism is the Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) co-chaired by EAM and the Philippines Secretary of Foreign Affairs, which has met 5 times so far, in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2020 and on 29 June, 2023 in New Delhi. The 5 th meeting in the chairmanship of EAM S Jaishankar and SFA Manalo reviewed recent developments in bilateral relations and discussed the future trajectory of engagement in all the areas of mutual interests. progynova

Official level foreign policy and security dialogue meetings have been held regularly (from 1994 and from 2004 respectively, when the security dialogue was upgraded to a ‘Strategic Dialogue’ at the 2 nd JCBC). The 13th Foreign Office Consultations(FOC) and 4th Strategic Dialogue(SD) was co-chaired by Shri Saurabh Kumar, Secretary (East) and Ms. Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, Under Secretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippines in Manila on 17 August and 18 August 2022 respectively. During the meeting, the entire gamut of India-Philippine relationship was discussed and views were exchanged on regional and global issues. The 12 th Foreign Office Consultations(FOC) & 3rd Strategic Dialogue(SD) was held in New Delhi on 27 February 2017.

(c) Support at International Fora:

The Philippines has been supportive of a greater role for India in the UN Security Council. They supported our candidature for the non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for the term 2021-22 as well as earlier in 2011-12. Philippines expressed support for the G-4 initiative for Security Council Reform at a meeting by all G-4 HOMs in Manila with Secretary for Foreign Affairs on 05 November, 2013 which was reiterated at the Foreign Policy Consultation/ Strategic Dialogue in March 2015. Philippines supported India in the recent election to IAEA, INTERPOL, IMO, CLCS and ITU. There are regular consultations between delegations of both countries in the UN and other multilateral fora. Several Foreign Service officers from the Philippines have attended the ASEAN diplomats’ course that is held at the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service(SSIFS) in India.

(d) Humanitarian assistance:

India has been offering humanitarian assistance to the Philippines from time to time, though at a modest level. In February 2006, in the aftermath of massive rock slide-debris avalanche in the province of Southern Leyte, which led to death toll of 1,126, Govt. of India provided around 28 tons of relief material worth US$260,000. Again in December 2006, GOI donated US$ 250,000 for relief and rehabilitation of communities affected by super typhoon Reming/Durian which resulted in 1399 deaths. Following the tragic loss of life, livelihood and property as a result of typhoon Pablo/Bopha, which struck southern Philippines in December 2012, the Government of India provided disaster relief assistance of $200,000 to the Philippines Government and $ 100,000 as disaster relief assistance following the October 2013 earthquake in Bohol. India also sent 15 tonnes of relief material in the aftermath of the super typhoon Haiyan(Yolanda) which occurred in November 2013. We provided immediate relief assistance of $ 500,000 (equivalent to 25 million pesos) on 11 July 2017 for the relief and rehabilitation efforts underway in the city of Marawi which had come under siege from May 23, 2017 when armed terrorists belonging to the Maute group with reported allegiance to ISIS took over the city. The Embassy with support of leaders of Indian Community organisations handed over nearly US$ 250,000 worth of face masks for COVID19 frontlines to Secretary Lorenzana and Secretary Galvez in Manila on 9 April 2020.