Filipino president Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has called India a friend to his nation and pledged greater cooperation between the two countries.
Marcos made the remarks on Saturday in his keynote address at 21st edition of the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) at Shangri-La dialogue in Manila.
“We shall strengthen our alliance with the United States and our strategic partnerships with Australia, Japan, Vietnam, Brunei, and all other member states of Asean,” he said.
Declaring that the Philippines would strategic partnerships with other nations, Marcos said that he sought to bridge global dialogue with regional perspectives at international summits.
“We will also pursue more robust collaboration with friends such as the Republic of Korea and India amongst others,” he stated, adding that he wanted to see greater cooperation not only in defence but also in environmental, economic, people-to-people relations and sustainable development.
“Geopolitics must not distract us from our fundamental duty as civil servants, as public intellectuals, as statesmen: To deliver for our peoples and to safeguard the future for the coming generations. This is the reason why we strive for stability, security, and peace,” Marcos said.
He also urged peace and stability in the Indian Ocean Region to aid the development of South Asian countries.