From BrahMos to China: All eyes on Philippines President's meeting with PM Modi

Marcos is visiting India amid Philippines facing maritime disputes with China in the South China Sea

Philippines President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr will arrive in New Delhi on Monday for a five-day state visit on an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He will be accompanied by First Lady Louise Araneta Marcos and a high-level delegation comprising Cabinet Ministers, other dignitaries, senior officials, and business representatives.

Defence, security and maritime cooperation are among the key pillars of the relationship between the two nations.

Ahead of Marcos Jr’s visit, the chief of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Romeo Brawner, said the Philippines is looking to purchase more weapon systems from India, citing the quality and affordability of Indian defence equipment.

The BrahMos connect

The Philippines was the first foreign buyer of India's powerful BrahMos missiles.

India delivered the first batch of BrahMos Missile system to the Philippines on April 19, 2024.

BrahMos is a universal long range supersonic cruise missile system that can be launched from land, sea and air. It has been developed jointly by DRDO, India, and NPOM, Russia.

In January 2022, Philippines concluded a $375-million deal with India for three batteries of shore-based, anti-ship variants of the BrahMos becoming the first export customer for the joint venture missile between India and Russia.

Meanwhile, Indonesia is negotiating a potential $450 million deal, while Vietnam is considering a $625 million agreement.

According to Times of India, Brawner said two sets of the India-Russia jointly developed missile systems will arrive in the Philippines in the next few years.

China connection

Upon assuming office in June 2022, Marcos Jr. rejected the conciliatory stance toward China adopted by his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte.

Marcos is visiting India amid Philippines facing maritime disputes with China in the South China Sea, referred to domestically as the West Philippine Sea. Buying more Brahmos would be a step forward to strengthen its defence partnerships with India to promote stability in the region.

The meeting comes at a time when both India and China are working to stabilise their strained relationship.

Naval platforms equipped with BrahMos missiles can operate with far greater unpredictability. A warship carrying a supersonic anti-ship missile does not need to wait for a threat to approach its coastline.

The strategic geography of the Philippines further highlights the need for naval missile capability. With over 7,000 islands spread across vast maritime zones, defending national territory from the shoreline is a must for the Philippines.

Boosting tourism

Tourism talks may also be an integral part of Modi-Marcos talks. According to reports, the Philippines' recent decision to grant visa-free entry to Indian nationals for stays of up to 14 days has seen travel searches from India spike 28 per cent within a week of the announcement.

Economic cooperation

Bilateral trade between India and the Philippines reportedly surpassed $3 billion for the first time in 2022–2023. The two sides have agreed to begin negotiations for a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) to build on this momentum.

Both countries signed an Agreement on Cooperation and Mutual Assistance in Custom Matters in April 2022 (ratified in June 2023). Negotiations on the Preferential Trade Agreement were revived with a virtual meeting in 2023.

Modi and Marcos are reportedly also expected to discuss India's offer for concessional Line of Credit to meet Philippines' defence requirements, acquisition of naval assets, and expansion of training and joint exercises on maritime security. According to Manila, six agreements in a range of areas like science and technology, law and culture are expected to be signed.