Philippines Prez’s visit to India to coincide with 1st joint naval drill

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr is set to visit India this week to take forward economic and security ties in a trip that will coincide with the first naval exercise between the two countries in the South China Sea.

- Rezaul H Laskar

Marcos, also known as “Bongbong”, will make his first visit to India since becoming president in 2022 during August 4-8, people familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity. On August 3, India and the Philippines will begin their first “bilateral maritime cooperative activity” in waters close to the Scarborough Shoal, a focal point of the maritime dispute between Manila and Beijing.

Besides holding talks with PM Narendra Modi, Marcos will deliver a speech on the theme of the Philippines and India as partners for a rules-based order at an event organised by a think tank on August 6.