Republic Day of India Thursday
MANILA, Philippines — India celebrates its Republic Day today. This holiday remembers the day the Constitution of India replaced the Government of India Act 1935 as the country’s governing document on January 26, 1950. The date was chosen to commemorate the promulgation of the Purna Swaraj Declaration of the Independence of India on January 26, 1930.
To celebrate Republic Day, a grand parade is held in New Delhi, India. The beginning of the celebration is marked by solemnity to remind the people of the sacrifices made by martyrs in the freedom movement and other wars which helped achieved India’s independence. Other highlights include the march-past of the three armed forces, folk dances by tribal folk, and a flight of jet planes by the Indian Air Force.
The Philippines and India established formal diplomatic relations on November 6, 1949. Based on the shared values of anti-colonialism, the two countries have maintained good relations, free from bilateral problems. As members of various multilateral forums, the two countries have coordinated their positions on several regional and international issues.
On March 15, 2011, the Philippines and India held their first Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) in New Delhi. The two countries called for greater bilateral cooperation in the fields of agriculture, tourism, health, energy, and culture. In trade, the discussion during JCBC highlighted the achievement of the US$1-billion mark in 2010 which was initially agreed upon during the 2008 investment meeting. The JCBC resulted in the signing of a Cultural Exchange Program between the Philippines and India for the year 2011-2013.
We greet the people and government of the Republic of India led by Their Excellencies, President Pratibha Patil Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Speaker of the House Meira Kumar, and Chief Justice S. H. Kapadia, and its Embassy in the Philippines, headed by H.E., Ambassador Yogendra Kumar, on the occasion of its Republic Day. We wish them all the best and success in all their endeavors. CONGRATULATIONS!
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I as a citizen of the Republic of India thank you for for the greetings extended.
Though the relationships between our two nation-states were established in 1949 as you have mentioned - I wish to mention here that the Laguna Copperplate Inscription - Philippines' oldest historical artifice with its use of Sanskrit and the Hindu calender is a manifestation of a much older relationship.
The work of Philippine scholars like Siuálâ ding Meángûbié, who has rejected these paradigms is notable.
I wish that the peoples of our two nations overthrow paradigms imposed by Euro-American colonialists and walk hand in hand to establish a new world order based on equality and respect.
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