New Delhi, Sept 13 (NVI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Philippines President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr held a meeting here today on the sidelines of BRICS Summit and agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation across defence, trade, investment and emerging technology.
Modi welcomed the Philippines’ participation in the summit as the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Marcos is attending the BRICS summit as ASEAN chair and an outreach country.
The two leaders reviewed progress in bilateral ties and agreed to expand cooperation in defence and security, trade and investment, space, railway infrastructure, fintech, education, tourism, science and technology and innovation. They also discussed strengthening people-to-people ties.
The discussions build on the Strategic Partnership established between India and the Philippines in August 2025 during Marcos’ state visit to India. The leaders agreed to advance cooperation under the framework and exchanged views on regional and global developments of mutual interest.
Modi also welcomed the Philippines’ decision to join the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, an India-led initiative focused on strengthening infrastructure resilience against climate and disaster risks.
The meeting comes as Manila seeks to deepen its economic and strategic engagement with India. Ahead of the BRICS summit, Philippine officials said Marcos’ visit would focus on advancing the countries’ strategic partnership and exploring cooperation in areas including infrastructure, digitalisation, pharmaceuticals, transport and logistics. (NVI)
