Manila
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Brief on India-Philippines Bilateral Relations

        India and the Philippines share warm and multifaceted bilateral relations rooted in historical ties and shared democratic values. Cooperation spans various sectors, including defense, trade, investment, and cultural exchange. India and the Philippines formally established diplomatic relations on 26 November 1949, shortly after both countries gained independence.

  6. A Defence Cooperation Agreement was signed between the two countries in 2006. Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) at the Joint Secretary level was set up under this MoU, which has met five times so far. The 5th JDCC was held on 11 September 2024 in  Manila at the Defence Secretary level for the first time. Along with the 5th JDCC, both sides also held the 3rd Service to Service (STS) Meeting in Manila. The two countries signed an MoU on Defence Industry and Logistics cooperation in Nov 2017 and have also set up a separate Joint Defence Industry and Logistics Committee (JDILC) under the MoU. This mechanism has met thrice, the last meeting was held on 11 March, 2022.

12. Bilateral trade between the two countries had grown steadily to reaching US$ 3.5 billion in 2023-24 (Ministry of Commerce & Industry, GOI). To facilitate bilateral trade, both countries signed Agreement on Cooperation and Mutual Assistance in Custom Matters in April 2022 (ratified in June 2023). Negotiations on Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) were revived with a virtual meeting held on 14 December, 2023 between the Ministry of Commerce, India and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Philippines, and discussions continue on the Terms of Reference for the Trade Negotiations Committee.

Financial Year	India’s Export to Philippines	India’s Imports from Philippines	Trade with Philippines
2020-21	1457.30	572.47	2029.77
2021-22	2107.24	729.08	2836.31
2022-23	2094.15	959.59	3053.73
2023-24	2097.17	1,433.60	3530.77
2024-25 (Apr – Nov)	1461.08	736.84	2197.92

[in US$ million]

13. The major items of export from India to the Philippines include engineering goods; automobiles part and accessories, transmission apparatus, electric transformers, petroleum products, semi-finished products of iron and steel; drugs and pharmaceuticals, organic and inorganic chemicals; electronic goods; plastic and linoleum: rice; bovine meat, oil seeds; tobacco; groundnuts and others. (As per Trading economics data-set, the Indian Pharmaceutical products accounted for 15.96% of the total Philippine Pharmaceutical imports in 2023). The major items of import from the Philippines include Electrical machinery; semi-conductors; ores, slag and ashes; copper, lead; plastics; pearls and precious stones; residue and waste from food industry; animal fodder and others.

14. Indian investment in the Philippines has over the years been mainly in the areas of IT& ITES [BPO]; pharmaceuticals and healthcare; yarn and textiles; chemicals; automobiles; agriculture; biomass energy; FMCG and others. Estimated Indian investment in the Philippines is valued around US $ 5 billion.

15. Philippine investments in India have been modest in the past and mainly comprise of companies like V. Merida (processing of waste), Ayala’s (Renewable energy, construction & ITES); SPI Technologies (ITES); Del Monte & Liwayway (Food processing); Atlantic Gulf & Pacific Company (AG&P); Lloyd Laboratories, IPI (Pharma). Major investments have been made by Atlantic Gulf & Pacific (AG&P) and AC Energy Corporation in India.

16. Financial Technology (Fintech) is one of the focused sectors identified by the leaders of both the countries. MOU for constitution of JWG on Cooperation in Financial Technology was signed on 19 June, 2023 which aims to facilitate partnership between India and Philippines in the fields of digital payments, financial inclusion, fintech and related areas. 1st JWG meeting on Fintech was held on 12 September 2024 in New Delhi.

17. India and the Philippines signed an agreement on Indian grant assistance for implementation of Quick Impact Projects (QIP) in the Philippines on 7 Feb 2023, which for the first time opened a regular grant funding window for the Philippines. On 15 July 2024, the implementing agencies of the two countries (Embassy of India in Manila and Department of Interior and Local Government of the Philippines) signed individual MOAs for 6 QIPs valued at US$50,000 each, in the sectors of Agriculture, Disaster Risk Reduction & Management, Healthcare and Livelihood Support (a total outlay of approx. USD 300,000).

18. Agriculture is another focused sector identified by the leaders of both the countries. Revised MoU on Cooperation in Agriculture and Related Fields between India-Philippines was signed on 13 November 2017. The 2 ^nd meeting of the India-Philippines Joint Working Group (JWG) on Agriculture was held on 18 May 2018 at Manila.

19. Health & Medicine is one of the important sectors for bilateral engagement. Philippines was the first ASEAN Member State to grant Emergency Use Authorization for Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin . India continues to be one of the largest suppliers of pharma products to the Philippines. An MOU on Cooperation in Traditional Medicine between Philippines Institute of Traditional Medicine and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) and National Institute of Ayurveda, Jaipur was signed on 19 April 2022. The 3 ^rd JWG Meeting on Health was held on 19-20 April 2018 in Manila, under the overall framework of India-Philippines MoU in the field of Health and Medicine signed in New Delhi on 5 October 2007.

20. An MoU on Tourism Cooperation was signed on 18 October 2019 under which 1 ^st meeting of India-Philippines JWG on Tourism was held on 8 October, 2020. The 2nd JWG meeting was held on 21 May, 2024 in Manila. Tourism Minister of India Shri Gajendar Singh Shekhawat held bilateral meeting with Philippines Tourism Secretary Ms. Christina Garcia Frasco on the sidelines of the India- ASEAN Tourism Ministers Meeting on 20 January 2025 in Malaysia which was focused on improving tourism potential and expanding connectivity.

21. The new Air Services Agreement was signed on 27 September 2021 (ratified in June 2023) to facilitate direct air connectivity between India and Philippines. Air India Ltd. is completing the requirements for setting up operations in Manila and India-Philippines direct air connectivity is expected during 2025.

22. Bilateral Programme of Cooperation (POC) in Science and Technology, for the period 2019-2022 was signed in October 2019 outlining five broad areas of cooperation, namely agricultural biotechnology; health, pharmaceutical & medical sciences; Information and Communication Technology (ICT); Material Science & Technology; and Ocean & Atmospheric Science. Looking at the successful implementation of POC, both sides have agreed to enhance the scope of cooperation areas under the renewed POC for next three years i.e. 2023-2026.

23. The Joint Consular Consultations Meeting (JCCM) has met four times so far, the 4 ^th meeting held on 12 April, 2024 in Manila. Both countries have signed Extradition Treaty on 12 March 2004. India and Philippines are also working on signing of Treaties on Transfer of Sentenced Persons (TTSP) and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (MLAT). Philippines Government fully implemented e-VISA facility for the Indian nationals w.e.f. 28 October 2024.

24. A new area of engagement is Space Cooperation which is progressing well with the participation of Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA)’s scientists in different training programmes in India. In June 2023, Department of Space/ISRO had a preliminary interaction with PhilSA to ascertain the areas of interest of the Philippines during which phase-wise space collaboration starting with capacity building courses based on the specific requirements of the Philippines was agreed. Both sides are engaged in continued discussions to advance these initiatives.

25. Philippines is one of the beneficiaries of India’s flagship capacity building programme–Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC). To date, over 1000 Filipino professionals have availed of courses offered. Courses on Electoral Technology, Environmental Impact Assessment, Renewable Energy, Natural Resource Management and Public Health Management Development and Introduction to Ayurveda were among the popular courses in the Philippines. ITEC Day is celebrated every year by the Embassy that brings together ITEC alumni across the Philippines. In the FY 2023-2024, 15 Filipino participated in ITEC Regular courses; 12 in e-ITEC courses and 31 defence personnel participated in ITEC defence courses. In current FY 2024-25, 14 Regular ITEC and 25 Defence ITEC courses have been availed by the Filipino participants so far.

26. The Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) between the two countries was renewed for the period 2019-2023 during the President of India’s visit to the Philippines in October 2019. Indian cultural events are organised regularly in the Philippines in commemoration of Indian national days, Indian festivals and other important days such as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, Constitution Day, Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas, etc. As part of the 75 year anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and the Philippines, Mission has organized several activities such as Blood donation camp, free screening of 1000 Filipino women for breast and cervical cancer and India-Philippines @ 75 Friendship Golf Tournament.

27. India has been offering humanitarian assistance to the Philippines from time to time, though at a modest level. In February 2006, following a devastating rockslide in Southern Leyte that claimed 1,126 lives, the Government of India (GOI) dispatched approximately 28 tons of relief material valued at $260,000. Later, in December 2006, India contributed $250,000 for relief efforts after Typhoon Reming/Durian resulted in 1,399 fatalities. The GOI continued its support in December 2012 with $200,000 in disaster relief following Typhoon Pablo/Bopha. In response to the October 2013 earthquake in Bohol, India provided an additional $100,000. The aftermath of Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in November 2013 saw India sending 15 tons of relief supplies. Furthermore, in July 2017, India allocated $500,000 for rehabilitation efforts in Marawi City during a siege by armed groups. In April 2020, the Embassy with support of leaders of Indian Community organisations handed over nearly US$ 250,000 worth of face masks for COVID19 frontlines to then Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana and Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Carlito Galvez.

28. Indian Diaspora is estimated to be more than 70,000 in the Philippines majority of which is concentrated in and around Metro Manila, City of Davao and Cebu. There has been a growing number of Indian professionals, estimated around 800, who are working in Indian and multinational corporations in the Philippines,. The major Indian business associations in the Philippines are the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines (FICCI-Philippines); Indian Business Forum (IBF) and Indian Women in Enterprise (I-WE) Philippines.

29. The total number of Indian students currently enrolled in the Philippines is around 9,800. Most of them are studying medicine but there are few others who are pursuing Management, Information Technology, Nursing, Christian Theology & Divinity, Church Music and Pilot training courses.

30. The Indian diaspora has established several places of religious worship [31 Gurudwaras (including Khalsa Diwan) and 8 Hindu temples] in the Philippines. There are cultural associations such as Indian Ladies Club, Bharati Indian Expats women's Association, Indian Cultural Association of the Philippines (ICAP) and several spiritual organizations like Sri Satya Sai Organization, Art of Living, Brahma Kumaris, Siddhi Yoga, which actively celebrate Indian festivals and engages closely with the Indian Embassy and Filipino Community in supporting social, cultural and welfare activities.

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February, 2025