By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., will embark on a state visit to India from Aug. 4 to 8, according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, marking the first visit by a Philippine head of state since 2007.

Mr. Marcos is scheduled to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Aug. 5. He will also meet with Indian President Droupadi Murmu and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, the ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

The visit aims to deepen diplomatic and economic ties between the two countries, which will mark the 75^th anniversary of their bilateral relationship this year. Diplomatic relations between Manila and New Delhi were formally established on Nov. 26, 1949.

India, now the world’s fourth-largest economy, maintains robust trade relations with the Philippines. Bilateral trade reached $3.53 billion in fiscal year 2023-2024, up from $3.05 billion the previous year, according to data from the Indian Embassy in Manila.

India’s major exports to the Philippines include engineering goods, auto parts, electronics, petroleum, steel, medicines, chemicals, rice and meat.

In return, the Philippines exports electrical machinery, semiconductors, copper, lead, plastics, precious stones and animal feed. The Philippines is also a leading importer of Indian pharmaceuticals in Southeast Asia, accounting for about 20% of India’s pharmaceutical exports to the region.

Mr. Marcos is expected to meet with business leaders in New Delhi and Bangalore, and hold a community engagement with Filipinos based in India. His office noted that the last state visit by a Philippine president to India was in 2007, under then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Former Indian President Ram Nath Kovind visited Manila in 2019.

Josue Raphael J. Cortez, a diplomacy lecturer at De La Salle—College of St. Benilde, said the visit signals Manila’s recognition of India’s growing geopolitical significance.

“This may also be a way for us to further enhance our partnership, particularly in ensuring freedom of navigation and the promotion of the law, given that our commonalities include being confronted with challenges pertaining to our territorial rights,” he said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

The visit could also expand cooperation in tourism after Manila’s recent move to lift visa restrictions for Indian travelers. Tourist arrivals from India reached almost 80,000 last year, a 12% increase from the previous year, according to the Department of Tourism.

Defense ties between the two countries have also grown. India delivered BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines in 2023, marking a milestone in bilateral defense cooperation.