Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Nov 14: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Manila, the capital of the Philippines, on November 16 and 17 at the invitation of Philippine President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr. During the two-day visit, Modi will participate in the 23rd ASEAN-India Summit and the 21st East Asia Summit (EAS), scheduled to be held on November 17.
The visit comes as India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) observe 2026 as the 'ASEAN-India Maritime Cooperation Year'. It also comes ahead of 2027, when India and ASEAN will mark 35 years of dialogue relations and five years of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
During the 23rd ASEAN-India Summit, Modi is expected to review the progress of India's Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the 10-member regional bloc. The leaders will also discuss future cooperation and the implementation of the ASEAN-India Plan of Action for 2026-2030.
The East Asia Summit will provide an opportunity for Modi to exchange views with ASEAN leaders and representatives of other participating countries on regional and global issues of mutual interest.
The visit is expected to strengthen India's Act East policy and deepen its engagement with ASEAN, particularly in maritime cooperation, trade and investment, and regional partnerships across the Indo-Pacific.
India and the Philippines are also exploring ways to expand their economic ties. Officials from both countries recently discussed expediting the review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA).
The issue was discussed during the 14th meeting of the India-Philippines Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment held in Manila on Friday. According to a Commerce Ministry statement, both sides stressed the need to conclude the AITIGA review at the earliest.
They also explored the possibility of initiating negotiations on a bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) to further strengthen trade relations.
ASEAN comprises 10 countries — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The Philippines currently holds the group's chairmanship and is hosting the upcoming regional meetings.
Maritime security cooperation, trade expansion and investment opportunities are expected to remain among the key priorities during Modi's engagements in Manila.
Separately, Modi is scheduled to visit Canada for a two-day trip beginning December 11.