Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., in New Delhi on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit. The meeting underscores India’s growing engagement with Southeast Asia and reflects the deepening relationship between the two countries following their establishment of a Strategic Partnership in August 2025.
What was discussed
The Prime Minister welcomed the Philippines’ presence at the BRICS Summit in its capacity as the current chair of ASEAN, the regional grouping of Southeast Asian nations. Both leaders reviewed the progress made so far in their bilateral partnership and identified several new areas for cooperation.
The two nations agreed to expand their collaboration across the following sectors:
- Defence and security
- Trade and investment
- Space programmes
- Railway infrastructure
- Financial technology
- Education
- Tourism
- Science, technology and innovation
- People-to-people exchanges
The leaders also discussed broader regional and global matters of shared concern. India welcomed the Philippines’ decision to join the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, a multilateral initiative aimed at strengthening infrastructure resilience in disaster-prone areas.
What this means for you
This meeting signals that India is working to strengthen ties with key Southeast Asian nations beyond its immediate neighbourhood. For Indian businesses, the expanded areas of cooperation offer potential opportunities in defence manufacturing, technology exports, railways and tourism sectors. The emphasis on disaster resilience is particularly relevant for countries in the region prone to typhoons and earthquakes. The deepening partnership also reflects India’s broader strategy to engage ASEAN nations as part of its Act East policy and to maintain stability and prosperity in a crucial region.