Philippines eyeing growing participation of Indian defence industry
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Philippines President Bongbong Marcos witness the Exchange of MoUs between India and the Philippines, at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Tuesday. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is also seen
| Photo Credit:
ANI
Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on Tuesday called for further co-operation of the Indian defence industry to support the military modernisation in Manila as the two friendly countries entered into a strategic partnership to celebrate 75 years of establishment of diplomatic relations.
âIt is a matter of pleasure that today we have decided to elevate our relations to the status of a strategic partnership. A comprehensive action plan has also been formulated to translate the potential of this partnership into results,â Prime Minister Narendra Modi said after a bilateral meeting with President Marcos.
âWe have agreed to continue levelling up our collaboration in defence and security,â Marcos said on his part.
Defence synergy
He also expressed hope that Indiaâs indigenous defence manufacturing industryâs âexpanding capabilities and footprintâ would support the Philippinesâ ongoing military modernisation, which is facing increasing maritime claims of China in the South China Sea.
âWe expressed satisfaction over the rapid pace of the Philippinesâ ongoing defence modernisation and the expanding capabilities of Indiaâs indigenous defence industry as a partner in this undertaking, exemplified by our BrahMos project,â Marcos said.
After the acquisition of BrahMos supersonic missiles in 2022, the Philippines is also interested in other defence deals with India, including Akash missiles and air defence systems.
Maritime Co-operation
Both countries have agreed to hold service-to-service talks aimed at enhancing information sharing and joint military training. âWe will foster naval and coast guard interoperability via port calls, cooperative activities and capacity building in the maritime domain,â Marcos said.
Modi also thanked the Philippines for condemning the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 dead and standing with India in the fight against terrorism.
âIndia and the Philippines are friends by choice and partners by destiny. From the Indian Ocean to the Pacific, we are united by shared values. Ours is not just a friendship of the past; it is a promise to the future,â Modi said.
Modi said the Philippines is an important partner in Indiaâs Act East Policy and âMAHASAGARâ vision.
Published on August 5, 2025
