President Marcos said the Philippines will work closely with India on artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, and other digital technologies under the two countries’ new strategic partnership.

Speaking to Manila-based reporters in Bangalore during his five-day state visit, Marcos described India as a “world leader” in the digital space.

“India has a lot to offer in terms of experience, in terms of training, in terms of all of the things that we in the Philippines need to develop our own digital space,” he said on Friday, Aug. 8.

He said discussions with Indian officials and business leaders covered AI, information technology, telecommunications, and the construction of additional towers to speed up the country’s Common Towers Program.

The Common Towers Program encourages the construction and use of “common towers,” which are shared telecommunication towers that aim to improve the Philippines' internet and mobile services by addressing the connectivity gap, especially in unserved and underserved areas.

“Magaling sila dito sa India. Magaling sila. Marami silang napoproduce na highly, very well trained, na puwede talagang makipag-kumpetensya sa labor market (They are good here in India. They produce many highly trained people who can really compete in the labor market),” Marcos said.

According to the President, the government is exploring technology transfer agreements and training exchanges that would allow Filipinos to study in Indian institutions and later apply the knowledge to improve local systems.

He stressed the importance of preparing for the challenges posed by AI, which he called “a very powerful tool” that “cuts both ways.”

“Ano ‘yung direksyon nila? Ano sa assessment nila papunta ang AI (What is their direction? What is their assessment of where AI is headed)?,” he said, noting that cooperation with India could help the Philippines manage both the benefits and risks of emerging technologies.

Marcos added that cybersecurity was a major part of the discussions, not only for the armed forces but also for banks, businesses, and government agencies.

“Kailangan na kailangan natin yung cyber security kasi nandoon talaga yung frontline ngayon (We badly need cybersecurity because that is really the frontline now),” he said.

The President said he also sought Indian insights on addressing misinformation, disinformation, and fake news in the political sphere.

Marcos said expanding cooperation with India in AI and digital technologies would be “a very, very important” step for the Philippines as it builds a competitive, future-ready workforce.