4th India-Philippines Joint Commission meeting on bilateral cooperation
New Delhi: India and Philippines on Friday reaffirmed their commitment to a multifaceted partnership in line with New Delhi’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) and the ASEAN’s Outlook on Indo-Pacific to achieve shared security, prosperity and growth for all in the region.
India and Philippines held virtual 4th Joint Commission meeting on bilateral cooperation, co-chaired by External affairs minister S Jaishankar and Teodoro Locsin, Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Philippines.
On regional and international issues, the two leaders agreed to coordinate closely at multilateral fora.
They agreed to further strengthen defence engagement and maritime cooperation between the two countries, especially in military training and education, capacity building, regular good-will visits, and procurement of defence equipment, the ministry of external affairs said in a statement.
The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in the area of counterterrorism with information exchange between concerned agencies and support in terms of specialized training needs.
They reviewed the recent developments in their bilateral relations and discussed the future trajectory of their wide-ranging engagement.
The co-chairs reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen cooperation against shared challenges, particularly in health sector to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
In light of vibrant economic prospects for both countries, the two ministers agreed on expanding trade and investment links.
Both sides also agreed to work towards strengthening cooperation in agriculture, health and pharmaceuticals, tourism, energy, ICT, and science & technology.
Dr Jaishankar appreciated the educational opportunities provided by the Philippines to Indian students.
He also reaffirmed India’s development and capacity building assistance to the Philippines.
Further, he invited Filipino students, scholars and academicians to avail the ITEC and e-ITEC initiatives, and make use of integrated PhD Fellowships offered to ASEAN students at IITs.
In line with the vision of the leaders of both the countries for a more expansive and mutually beneficial relationship between India and the Philippines, the co-chairs agreed to explore closer cooperation in emerging areas such as renewable energy, space, cyber security and traditional medicine.
To expand trade, investment, tourism and student exchange between the two countries, both sides agreed to work towards a simplified visa regime between India and Philippines.
