‘Strengthening alliance and partnership’: Philippines President on 5-day trip to India
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Philippines President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr said his visit to India reaffirms the strengthening bilateral partnership between the two nations Tuesday. “It is a reaffirmation of the alliance and the partnership that we are strengthening,” the Philippines President said on the sidelines of a ceremonial reception accorded to him at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan complex in New Delhi.
On his arrival, he was received by President Droupadi Murmu in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was also accorded a guard of honour during the ceremony.
Marcos arrived in India on August 5 on a five-day visit. He will hold bilateral talks with PM Modi later today. His visit comes as India-Philippines diplomatic relations reach their 75th anniversary this year.
The Philippines’ President asserted that the Manila wants to build existing ties with New Delhi and explore “many opportunities” that have arisen in the past few years.
“We used to refer to the Asia Pacific region, we now refer to it as the Indo-Pacific region, which is, I think, a correct evolution of the understanding because of the global nature of all the politics, all the trade and all of the economy,” the Philippine president said.
He added: “And I want to build upon what we already have, but certainly to explore many opportunities that have arisen in the past few years because of the new technologies and the changing state of the global economy and the geopolitics around us now.”
The Ministry of External Affairs said that this visit will be an opportunity for both countries to set a path for “future bilateral cooperation and to engage on regional and international issues of mutual interest”.
Ref : The India Express
