India celebrated its 75th Republic Day on Jan. 26, 2024, with the themes "Viksit Bharat" and "Bharat: Loktantra ki Matruka," reflecting India's aspirations and its role as a nurturer of democracy.
The reception, hosted at the Rizal Ballroom of Shangri-La Hotel Makati, was attended by members of the diplomatic corps, Philippine government officials, business leaders, and the Indian community in the Philippines.
In his welcome address, Ambassador H.E. Shambhu S. Kumaran highlighted India's impressive progress over the past seven and a half decades, describing it as a story of progress, growth, dynamism, and achievement.
He emphasized that India is the world's fastest-growing major economy, currently the 5th largest, and soon to be among the three largest economies globally. The vibrant and tech-savvy youth are propelling the nation to new heights, including space exploration.
India and the Philippines are fostering a diverse and meaningful partnership with positive implications for both countries and the shared Indo-Pacific region.
"India and the Philippines are in the process of building a deep and diverse partnership. Today, India is looking to build genuine capacities, as the best deterrence is the building of genuine capacities," Ambassador Kumaran emphasized. "We will continue, therefore, to support the Philippines in capacity building and capability development to secure its legitimate defense and national security needs. Our Filipino friends can always count on India as a friendly nation."
Ambassador Kumaran assured that the Philippines can always count on India as a friendly nation, whether providing health security during the pandemic, ensuring the safety of Filipino seafarers, or contributing to food security through special allocations of rice supplies.
Concluding his speech, Ambassador Kumaran stated, "Ladies and gentlemen, as two of the largest democracies in the region, the true strength of the Indo-Philippines partnership is in the relationship between our people. We've had exchanges of culture, trade, and spirituality across centuries. Today, as we build our societies and develop our economies, we can grow better and stronger together."
