Philippines President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr on Tuesday said that the shift from the term ‘Asia-Pacific’ to ‘Indo-Pacific’ is a reflection of evolving global political and economic dynamics.
Addressing the media after being accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, Marcos said, ‘Indo-Pacific is the correct evolution of Asia-Pacific.’ He added that the term better reflects the global nature of politics, trade, and the economy today.”
“This visit is a reaffirmation of the alliance and the partnership that we are strengthening,” he told reporters. “What used to be referred to as the Asia-Pacific region, we now refer to as the Indo-Pacific region. I think it is a correct evolution of that understanding because of the global nature of politics, trade and the economy. We are here to build upon what we already have and certainly to explore the many opportunities that have arisen in the past few years because of new technologies and the changing state of the global economy and geopolitics.”
Marcos was received at Rashtrapati Bhavan by President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ahead of his scheduled high-level talks with PM Modi later in the day.
The visit marks his first to India since taking office in 2022 and comes as the two nations commemorate 75 years of diplomatic relations. He is accompanied by First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos and a high-level delegation comprising Cabinet ministers.
On Monday, Marcos met with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who described the meeting as a strong start to the State Visit. “Delighted to call on President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr of the Philippines this evening in Delhi at the start of his State Visit. Confident that his talks with PM Narendra Modi tomorrow will significantly deepen our bilateral partnership,” Jaishankar said in a post on X.
The five-day visit is expected to further enhance cooperation between India and the Philippines across a wide range of sectors, including defence, maritime security, trade, and emerging technologies.
ANI