The Philippines-India Strategic Partnership

For 18 months, Oct. 6, 1762 to April 1764, the British briefly occupied Manila and Cavite.

- TONY LOPEZ

The Brits, enemy of France with whom Spain had allied itself, were ousted. But Britain's Indian soldiers stayed behind and settled in east of Manila, which is why some old-timers of Cainta have tall, dark looks. Bombays.

Two hundred sixty-one years later, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. made a historic five-day state visit to New Delhi, Aug. 4-8. The Philippines and India upgraded their longstanding ties to what they call a strategic partnership.

Strategic means close and long-term; shared values and a common geography, if not destiny; deep if not ancient historic and cultural ties; mutually beneficial and expanded economic ties, trade and technology cooperation; and in a world of increasing instability, rising geopolitical tensions and unpredictable regional disputes, defense, security and military alliances.

A strategic Philippines-India partnership is crucial, at least on three fronts—military, technology and cyber space, and food.

India has the world's best supersonic missiles, the BrahMos. The weapon can be launched from submarines, ships, on land and fighter aircraft. It has three times the speed of sound, a range of 300 kms (it can reach Mischief Reef and Scarborough Shoal in minutes, if not seconds, with China unable to react), and deadly accuracy. In January 2022, the Philippines contracted to buy three batteries worth $375 million. Manila wants to buy more, worth $200 million.

The BrahMos missiles are on top of the Tomahawk missiles the US has parked in northern Philippines.

"We expressed satisfaction over the rapid pace of the Philippines' ongoing defense modernization and expanding capabilities and footprints of India's indigenous defense industry as a partner in this undertaking, exemplified by our BrahMos project," Marcos Jr. said.