The Presidents of India and the Philippines met on June 28, 2023, to discuss and reaffirm their commitment to strengthening their people-to-people relationships. The gathering, which was conducted in an atmosphere of warmth and respect, underscored the growing significance of collaboration between these two countries in a number of sectors of shared interest. Wednesday’s meeting between Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and visiting Philippines Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo focused on both leaders’ commitment to furthering bilateral ties and inter-personal interactions.
According to a message from the Vice President’s official Twitter account on Wednesday, “Hon’ble Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, Mr. Enrique A. Manalo, called on the Hon’ble Vice President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, at the Upa-Rashtrapati Nivas today. Cultural and economic relations between India and the Philippines date back a long time. The goal of the leaders’ meeting was to strengthen these previous ties and look for new opportunities for cooperation.
The summit placed a lot of emphasis on commerce and investment. Both presidents committed to working towards strengthening bilateral trade and investment flows as they acknowledged the possibilities for extending economic cooperation. They reaffirmed their commitment to fostering business-friendly conditions and encouraging investments in industries including information technology, pharmaceuticals, and infrastructure development. Along with trade and investment, the leaders emphasised the value of fostering closer relationships between individuals. They recognised the important contributions made by the Filipino community in India and the Indian diaspora in the Philippines. They talked about the possibilities of boosting cultural exchanges, tourism, and educational partnerships between the two countries since they recognised the importance of cultural exchanges in promoting understanding and goodwill.
The leaders also emphasised the need for increased collaboration in the security and defence sectors. They noted that both nations faced similar difficulties in preserving regional peace and stability. India and the Philippines, both maritime nations, understood how crucial it was to maintain freedom of navigation and compliance with international law. They committed to advancing rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region and increasing maritime security cooperation. The leaders also talked about how crucial it is to work together to handle issues like pandemic preparedness and climate change. They agreed to look into opportunities for collaboration in renewable energy, sustainable development, and climate resilience as they acknowledged the urgent need to take collective action to minimise the effects of climate change.
Both presidents expressed pleasure with the achievements as the conference came to an end and reaffirmed their commitment to collaborating closely to realise the common objectives of their countries. They emphasised the value of ongoing high-level discussions and exchanges in strengthening bilateral ties. It placed emphasis on the common ideals of democracy, pluralism, and adherence to the law. The leaders established a constructive tone for future collaboration and cooperation between India and the Philippines by reiterating their commitment to further improving bilateral relations and people-to-people relationships. These two countries are prepared to begin a new age of partnership and friendship that will benefit their citizens and contribute to regional stability and prosperity with a renewed focus on commerce, investment, culture, and security.
