India and the Philippines built ties slowly for 75 years. Then a missile deal and a State Visit changed everything. This page tells the story, from a thin Cold War relationship to a Strategic Partnership.
Keep three questions in mind. Why were the ties thin for so long? How did a missile change the story? And what changed in August 2025?
BrahMos: Supersonic cruise missile built by India and Russia.
Act East: India’s policy of deeper ties with East and Southeast Asia.
Gratis visa: A visa issued free of charge.
Deterrence: Showing strength so that others do not attack.
1Why were the ties thin for so long?
India and the Philippines set up diplomatic relations in 1949. Both were newly free. But for decades, little happened.
The Cold War kept them apart. India followed non-alignment. The Philippines was a formal ally of the United States.
Things began to change with India’s Look East Policy in 1992. It later became the Act East Policy. The Philippines is a key partner in it.
Think it through: Why can a relationship stay quiet for decades and then jump?
Ties wait for shared interests. When both sides faced the same pressures at sea, they moved fast.
- Diplomatic ties: 1949.
- Look East Policy: 1992.
- Cold War: non-alignment vs a US alliance.
True or False: India and the Philippines set up diplomatic ties in 1962.
2How did a missile change the story?
In 2022, the Philippines signed a $375 million deal for the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. It was India’s first export of BrahMos.
The first batch was delivered in April 2024. With this deal, India moved from being mostly a defence importer to a real exporter.
On 12 August 2026, the Philippines said deliveries remain on track. Its Ambassador, Josel Ignacio, called the missile a source of “credible deterrence”. (Source: The Tribune)
- Deal: 2022, $375 million.
- First export of BrahMos.
- First batch: April 2024.
- Deliveries on track: August 2026.
True or False: The 2022 BrahMos deal was India’s first export of the missile.
3What changed in August 2025?
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. made a five-day State Visit to India from 4 to 8 August 2025. It marked 75 years of diplomatic ties. (Source: Philippine Communications Office)
The two countries raised ties to a Strategic Partnership. They also backed a Five-Year Plan of Action for 2025–2029. (Source: PIB)
Thirteen agreements were signed. They covered defence and maritime cooperation, science, tourism, digital innovation and space.
For travel, India offers Filipinos a free e-tourist visa. The Philippines lets Indian tourists enter visa-free for up to 14 days.
- Visit: 4–8 August 2025.
- New tier: Strategic Partnership.
- Plan of Action: 2025–2029.
- Indian tourists: 14 days visa-free.
True or False: The Plan of Action runs from 2024 to 2028.
4What are the exam traps?
- 1949 ties; 2025 Strategic Partnership; 75 years.
- BrahMos deal $375 million, signed 2022.
- Plan of Action = 2025–2029.
- “Peace with neighbours” belongs to Neighbourhood First, not Act East.
- Filipinos get a gratis e-tourist visa.
MCQ on India-Philippines Relations: From Quiet Ties to a Strategic Partnership
Question 1 of 1 Question 1 of 1 Question 1 of 1 Question 1 of 1 Question 1 of 1 Question 1 of 1
Answered 0 of 3 checks.
Related reading
Leave a Reply