Celebrating 75 Years of India-Philippines Friendship
A Journey of Shared Values and Growth
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar recently highlighted the strong relationship between India and the Philippines, emphasizing their shared democratic values, pluralistic ethos, and economic similarities. Speaking at an event in New Delhi to celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations, Jaishankar noted the significant growth in their relationship over the past few years.
Jaishankar pointed out the expanding trade between India and the Philippines, particularly in sectors like IT, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, automobiles, textiles, and FMCG. He also mentioned the progress in defense and security collaboration, supported by shared interests in the Indo-Pacific region.
The minister acknowledged the role of India’s Act East policy in strengthening ties with the Philippines, which serves as the country coordinator for India in the ASEAN region. He expressed optimism about the future of the India-Philippines friendship, describing it as enduring and poised for further growth.
India and the Philippines established diplomatic relations on November 26, 1949, shortly after gaining independence. Their relationship has been characterized by shared values such as democracy, rule of law, and the use of the English language. The Act East Policy, initiated in 2014, has further diversified their partnership into areas like political security, trade, and cultural exchanges.
Doubts Revealed
India-Philippines Friendship -: This refers to the relationship between India and the Philippines, two countries in Asia, which have been friends and partners for 75 years.
Diplomatic ties -: Diplomatic ties mean the official relationship between two countries, where they work together and communicate to solve problems and help each other.
S Jaishankar -: S Jaishankar is India’s External Affairs Minister, which means he is responsible for managing India’s relationships with other countries.
Shared democratic values -: Both India and the Philippines believe in democracy, which means people have the power to choose their leaders and have a say in how the country is run.
Economic commonalities -: Economic commonalities mean that both countries have similar interests in business and trade, like selling and buying goods and services from each other.
Act East policy -: The Act East policy is India’s plan to improve relationships with countries in East Asia, including the Philippines, to increase trade and cooperation.
ASEAN coordinator -: ASEAN is a group of Southeast Asian countries that work together. The Philippines is India’s coordinator, meaning it helps manage India’s relationship with ASEAN.
Rule of law -: The rule of law means that everyone in the country, including leaders, must follow the laws, ensuring fairness and justice for all.
