New Delhi, Aug 5: Philippines President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr on Tuesday was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, after which, he said that this State Visit reaffirms the growing partnership between India and the Philippines.

The Philippines President arrived in New Delhi on Monday for a five-day State Visit to India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Speaking to the reporters, Marcos said, "This visit is the reaffirmation of the alliance and the partnership that we are strengthening. We used to be referred to as the Asia-Pacific region, now we are referred to as the Indo-Pacific region, which is a correct evolution of that understanding because of the global nature of the politics, trade and economy."

"We are here to build upon what we (India and the Philippines) already have and certainly to explore the many opportunities that have arisen in the past few years because of the new technologies and the changing stake of the global economy and geopolitics around us," he added.

Following this, the Philippines President will also pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at the Rajghat.

On Monday, Union Minister of State for External Affairs (MoS) Pabitra Margherita welcomed Ferdinand R Marcos Jr at the airport. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal extended a warm welcome to Ferdinand R Marcos Jr and stated that his visit will further strengthen ties between India and the Philippines.

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar also called on Philippines President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr in New Delhi on Monday, expressing confidence that the visiting leader's talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday will significantly deepen the ties between the two nations.

In a post on X, EAM Jaishankar stated, "Delighted to call on President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr of the Philippines this evening in Delhi at the start of his State Visit. Confident that his talks with PM Narendra Modi tomorrow will significantly deepen our bilateral partnership."

The Philippines President is accompanied by First Lady Madame Louise Araneta Marcos.

Ferdinand R Marcos Jr will meet Prime Minister Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, and Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda on Tuesday. He is scheduled to hold other engagements in the capital on Wednesday and will travel to Bengaluru on Thursday before returning to the Philippines.

The diplomatic ties between India and the Philippines were established in November 1949. Since then, both nations have developed a strong partnership across a wide spectrum of areas, including trade and investment, defence and security, maritime cooperation, agriculture, healthcare, pharmaceuticals and digital technologies.

The two countries also engage closely at the regional level, including through India's Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with ASEAN.

"India's relations with the Philippines are an integral pillar of our 'Act East' Policy, Vision MAHASAGAR and our vision of the Indo-Pacific. The forthcoming State Visit of President Marcos coincides with the 75th anniversary of India-Philippines diplomatic relations. The visit is an opportunity for both leaders to set the path for future bilateral cooperation, and to engage on regional and international issues of mutual interest," the MEA stated.

PM Modi and President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr had met briefly on the sidelines of the 21st ASEAN-India Summit and the 19th East Asia Summit in Laos in 2024. The two leaders also met on the sidelines of the 20th ASEAN-India Summit in Jakarta in 2023. In 2017, PM Modi travelled to the Philippines for the 15th ASEAN-India Summit and the 12th East Asia Summit.

(IANS)

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