Philippines President Marcos Jr receives ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan, PM Modi present

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos received a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan during his state visit to India. President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were present during the ceremony.

In a post on the social media platform X, Rashtrapati Bhawan informed, “President Droupadi Murmu accorded a ceremonial welcome to H.E. Mr Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., President of the Republic of the Philippines at Rashtrapati Bhavan .”

Philippines President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr is on a state visit to India from August 4 to 8, marking his first visit to the country since taking the President’s office.

President Marcos is accompanied by First Lady Madame Louise Araneta Marcos and a high-level delegation that includes several Cabinet Ministers, other dignitaries, senior officials, and business representatives, the External Affairs Ministry informed earlier.

Marcos emphasised the strengthening of the Indo-Pacific partnership, recognising the need to adapt to global political, trade, and economic changes influenced by new technologies.

Speaking on India-Philippines ties, President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos was quoted as saying, “I think it is a reaffirmation of the alliance and the partnership that we are strengthening. What used to be referred to as the Asia Pacific Region, we now refer to it as the Indo-Pacific Region, which is, I think, the correct evolution of that understanding because of the global nature of all of politics, all of trade and all of economy.”

He further added, “To build upon what we already have and to certainly explore the many opportunities that have arisen in the past few years because of the new technologies and the changing state of the global economy and the geopolitics around us now.”

President Marcos Jr. and his wife, Louise Araneta-Marcos, paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. After laying a wreath at the Rajghat, they signed the visitors’ book and were presented with mementoes and books.