President Marcos returned to Manila on Friday night, Aug. 8, bringing home what he described as a stronger bilateral alliance with India following the formal elevation of relations between the two countries to a Strategic Partnership.

The President’s chartered Philippine Airlines flight landed at 8:06 p.m. at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City after a five-day state visit that included engagements in New Delhi and Bangalore.

In his recorded arrival statement, the President said the upgrade signaled both countries’ recognition of their “complementarity and alignment of interests,” not just on bilateral matters but on broader regional and global issues.

“As Strategic Partners, the Philippines and India enter a new era of closer, multidimensional, and impactful engagement between our countries and our peoples,” he said.

“The elevation of our bilateral ties signals our mutual recognition of the complementarity and alignment of our interests, not only in bilateral matters but also in many regional and international issues of critical importance to both our countries,” he added.

According to Marcos, his visit secured 18 business agreements worth $446 million in confirmed investments, with potential projects valued up to $5.8 billion.

“These span key sectors such as digital infrastructure, renewable energy, healthcare, manufacturing, and IT-BPM,” he said.

The real investments are projected to generate over 4,000 direct jobs, including in large-scale infrastructure, manufacturing, and renewable energy projects.

Some of the agreements also include commitments to digital skills training for Filipinos, which the President said would help ensure a “competitive, future-ready workforce.”

“We also [projected] to train about 26,120 Filipinos by 2026 in AI, digital technologies, and cybersecurity,” Marcos said.

President Marcos highlighted new visa policies that would allow for easier tourism and people-to-people exchanges.

“Since June, we have adopted the policy of a 14-day visa-free entry for Indian tourists into the Philippines,” he said.

“In response, Prime Minister Modi announced that Filipinos can now apply for tourist e-visas to India, free of charge,” he added.

The President said these reciprocal measures would help improve two-way tourism and stronger linkages between our two countries and peoples.

Marcos also noted that the two governments signed several cooperation agreements covering areas such as defense and security, judicial matters, science and technology, culture, and tourism.

“Prime Minister Modi and I had a real meeting of the minds,” he said.

“We discussed concrete ways to realize the full potential of bilateral and multilateral cooperation,” he added.

The President said India expressed interest in partnerships for developing the Philippines’ digital infrastructure and space capabilities.

Marcos also emphasized converging priorities with India on regional and global challenges, particularly in the Indo-Pacific.

“I emphasized our shared aspirations and objectives for a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region,” he said.

He cited common positions on “security and rule of law in the maritime commons, food security, supply chain resilience, and countering terrorism and other traditional and non-traditional threats.”

Marcos said he also had the pleasure of meeting members of the Filipino community in India during his visit.

“It is important to recognize their important contributions not only to the economy, but in promoting a Philippine culture abroad and fostering people-to-people ties,” he said.

“Once again, I thank them for their warm welcome and for serving as a bridge between our two cultures,” he added.