India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, reiterates India’s unwavering support for the Philippines in upholding its national sovereignty in the South China Sea. Bilateral relations between the two nations witness strategic cooperation, defense collaboration, and robust economic ties.
India has shown solidarity by repeating its firm backing for the Philippines in maintaining its national sovereignty in the face of intensifying tensions in the South China Sea. Declaring the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to be the “constitution of the seas,” India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, stressed the country’s steadfast adherence to its precepts. Both countries emphasized their common goal of regional peace and security by calling for an inclusive, free, and open Indo-Pacific area.
Recent years have seen a substantial evolution of India-Philippines bilateral relations, which are now marked by strong diaspora ties, strategic cooperation, commerce and investment, defense and security cooperation, and developmental cooperation. The strategic alliance between India and the Philippines is viewed as essential to tackling shared issues as part of India’s Act East policy, especially in view of their mutual concerns about China’s aggression in the area.
The signing of contracts
The signing of contracts for the sale of the BrahMos missile system and the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defense Industry and Logistics cooperation are two notable landmarks of the bilateral relationship between India and the Philippines. The other area of focus is defense and security cooperation.
Additionally, the value of bilateral commerce between the two countries in 2022–2023 was USD 3.05 billion, with India ranking as the Philippines’ top supplier of pharmaceuticals. About US $5 billion worth of investments have been made by Indians in the Philippines, indicating the expansion of their economic relations.
The second pillar of the bilateral relationship is development cooperation, whereby India’s capacity-building initiatives under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation initiative assist the Philippines. Furthermore, India promotes interpersonal relationships and academic exchanges by offering scholarships to Filipino students under the ‘Study in India’ initiative.
An estimated 150,000 Indians live in the Philippines, where they contribute significantly to the country’s bilateral connections. Additionally, Indian students studying medicine there further strengthen intellectual ties between the two countries. In addition, India has provided the Philippines with humanitarian aid in times of need, such as in the wake of 2013’s super typhoon Haiyan and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Even with the notable advancements in bilateral relations, there are still issues to be resolved, such as unexplored trade and investment potential and volatility in the Philippines’ relationship with China. On the other hand, because of their shared values and interests, India and the Philippines are still dedicated to strengthening their partnership in a number of industries.
+ There are no comments
Add yours