DFA Sec Manalo meets Indian minister to discuss Marcos state visit, trade opportunities

Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo met with Indian Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar to discuss a possible state visit by President Marcos to India, which could take place early this year for the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

During their meeting at the Raisina Dialogue 2025 conference in New Delhi, they also discussed opportunities in ship repair, railway construction, visa matters, and potential maritime cooperation including joint patrol exercises and Coast Guard collaboration.

The Philippines and India established diplomatic relations in 1949 and had a total trade value of $3.08 billion in 2023, with the latter currently ranking as the Philippines' 15th top trading partner.

Manalo emphasized during an interview that Manila is aiming for concrete deliverables from the visit to strengthen cooperation across various fields, including defense and maritime safety.