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Philippines Foreign Secretary Theresa P. Lazaro on Saturday described Indias bilateral relations with the Philippines as excellent, expressing confidence that the partnership between the two countries would continue to gain momentum ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Manila for the ASEAN-India Summit.
Responding to ANIs question, Lazaro said the two countries had maintained strong relations and pointed to the recent meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi as an important engagement. The relations between our two countries are excellent. And they met already during the BRICS meeting in Delhi, so it will just continue, Lazaro said. Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to visit the Philippines from November 16-17 to participate in the 23rd ASEAN-India Summit and the 21st East Asia Summit, being hosted by the Philippines under its ASEAN chairmanship. The visit comes at a significant juncture in India-Philippines relations, with both countries having elevated their bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership during President Marcos state visit to India in August 2025. In a special briefing by the Ministry of External Affairs, Secretary (East) Rudrendra Tandon noted the PM's schedule and his key engagements during the summit As part of the visit, PM Modi will attend a dinner hosted by Philippine President Bongbong Marcos for the visiting dignitaries a day prior to the ASEAN-India Summit and the East Asia Summit. The MEA highlighted that the PM will also engage with several world leaders on the sidelines of the summit. "The Prime Minister's programme in Manila will include attending a dinner hosted by President Marcos for the visiting dignitaries of this summit process. On the next day, he will attend the ASEAN-India Summit and the East Asia Summit process. In between, there will be bilateral meetings scheduled with other leaders," the MEA Secretary stated. The Philippines will host at least 19 world and global institution leaders in the upcoming 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits this week. Notably, according to Anadolu Agency, Chinese Premier Li Qiang is set to participate in the 29th China-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Leaders' Meeting in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. Furthermore, after the India-ASEAN Summit, the MEA Secretary stated that PM Modi will participate in the 21st East Asia Summit process. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres are also expected to attend the ASEAN gathering, according to an earlier October 15 report by The Manila Times. The White House had also confirmed Trump's planned visit to the Philippines on November 16 for the ASEAN Summit before he travels to China for the APEC Summit in Shenzhen, according to an October 11 report by the New York Post. According to the official newswire service of the Philippine government, the Philippine News Agency, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said last week that the attendance underscores ASEANs unique convening power and continued role as a platform for dialogue and cooperation with the wider international community. The high-level meetings will begin on November 15 with an opening ceremony at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), followed by Plenary and Retreat Sessions where ASEAN leaders will review the accomplishments of the Philippines' chairship. (ANI)
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