Thank you.
Secretary Manalo,
Dear Friends,
It is a pleasure to be back in Manila. As the Secretary told you, we had very good discussions, following up on his visit to India in June last year. We also had an opportunity to meet in Kampala earlier this year on the sidelines of the NAM Summit.
2. As you all know, India’s ties with the Philippines has seen very perceptible growth in recent times. Prime Minister Modi met President Marcos during the India-ASEAN Summit in September last year. And I will have the honour of calling on the President later this afternoon and look forward to conveying the Prime Minsiter’s greetings and good wishes.
3. Meetings and visits are one indicator of the growing closeness between our two nations. But this is equally visible in a range of domains starting from trade and investment and extending to health and food security, to education and science and technology, defence and maritime cooperation, etc. Our bilateral trade has crossed the USD 3 billion level last year and I am confident that it will continue to grow. My message in the discussions with Secretary Manalo was that India, as the 5th largest economy currently, growing at about 7% annually, is preparing to step up its engagement with the Philippines.
4. I welcome what Secretary Manalo communicated, in terms of easier visas, more movement, more dialogues and deeper cooperation. Some of the recent developments in our ties were positively recognized in our meeting. We are moving ahead on Quick Impact Projects in agriculture, health and capacity building. Indian companies have been active here, as much as in the digital infrastructure as in the physical one. There is considerable interest in Indian corporate sector in stepping that up. The growing comfort and trust between us is also reflected in the ongoing supplies of rice from India as an exceptional measure.
5. As two seafaring nations of the Indo-Pacific, our maritime cooperation holds great potential. Last year, we signed agreements on enhanced maritime cooperation and white shipping. It is appropriate that even today, there is an Indian Coast Guard vessel, which is making a port call in Manila. Secretary Manalo and I have discussed our shared interests in ensuring maritime safety, given that our two countries contribute so much to the global shipping industry. I also briefed him about the Indian Navy’s deployments in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea to counter ongoing threats. And he himself has spoken about the rescue of MV True Confidence by one of our ships, INS Kolkata. And there have been some other instances, I think since then, MV, Lila Norfolk, as well which involved some crew from the Philippines.
Friends,
6. Our partnership with the Philippines also has a larger context in terms of the engagement with the ASEAN. The Philippines will take over as India’s country coordinator later this year. We look forward to its steering India-ASEAN cooperation, especially in regard to reviewing the trade agreement, to building connectivity and to deepening people-to-people contacts.
7. As a nation deeply invested in this region because of its Act East policy and Indo-Pacific vision, India follows all developments with great interest. We are strongly supportive of ASEAN’s centrality, cohesion and unity. We are also convinced that the progress and prosperity of this region is best served by staunch adherence to a rules-based order. UNCLOS 1982 is particularly important in that regard as the constitution of the seas. All parties must adhere to it in its entirety, both in letter and in spirit. I take this opportunity to firmly reiterate India’s support to the Philippines for upholding its national sovereignty.
8. As the world changes, it is essential that countries like India and the Philippines cooperate more closely to shape the emerging order. today we discussed a range of global and regional issues, from the UN, from the NAM, to the Indo- pacific, to Myanmar, to Ukraine and beyond that. We are also both societies that contribute significantly to the global workplace. We would like to see more resilient supply chains and trusted digital partnerships. Our activities serve to strengthen the cause of the Global South in different domains. Our commitment to democratic values is deep and abiding. We are both nations who value the autonomy of decision making and favour a multi-polar world, with a multi-polar Asia at its core.
9. These convergences, based on an expanding bilateral partnership, today drive the upward trajectory of our ties. My discussions today with Secretary Manalo, the meeting later in the day with Defense Secretary Teodoro and others, and the call on President Marcos will all provide opportunities to do that. As we move towards the 75th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations, I am confident that there is much more that awaits us.
Thank you for your attention.