President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said he and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to boost collaboration on a wide spectrum of cooperation areas under the newly announced Philippines?India Strategic Partnership.

The two countries vowed to further expand bilateral trade which reached $3.3 billion last year.

“To this end, we have decided to expedite the work that we are doing to forge a bilateral preferential trade agreement. We [are looking] at leveraging mutual opportunities to boost two-way investment,” Marcos said.

“Our fast-growing innovative private enterprises will play an important role in our common march towards progress and development, facilitating innovation, technology transfer, and upskilling, and generating employment for our people,” added the President.

Marcos said the newly-elevated Strategic Partnership will also be accompanied by “intensified dialogue and exchanges between our defense establishments.”

“We agreed to continue leveling up our collaboration on defense and security,” Marcos said during a joint press conference following bilateral talks at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi.

“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,” the President added.

The President also highlighted the visa-free entry privileges now available to Indian tourists to visit the Philippines, as well as direct flights between New Delhi and Manila. Both sides commit to sustaining and expanding air connectivity. Presidential News Desk