New Delhi, Aug 5 (PTI) India and the Philippines are friends by choice and partners by destiny, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday as the two countries elevated their ties to the level of strategic partnership, with a greater thrust on increasing interaction among the armed forces.

The announcement of the strategic partnership was made after talks between Prime Minister Modi and visiting Philippines President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr here, and a day after the navies of the two countries conducted joint exercises off the Philippines coast.

"India and the Philippines are friends by choice and partners by destiny. From the Indian Ocean to the Pacific, we are united by shared values. Ours is not just a friendship of the past, it is a promise to the future," Modi said with Marcos Jr by his side.

The two countries signed nine pacts, including on declaration and implementation of strategic partnership, terms of reference for talks among the armies, air forces and navies of the two countries and for cooperation on peaceful use of outer space.

The prime minister said the Philippines is an important partner in India's Act East Policy and 'MAHASAGAR' (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision.

"We are committed to peace, security, prosperity and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region. We support freedom of navigation in accordance with international laws," Modi said.

"It is a matter of pleasure that today we have decided to elevate our relations to the status of a strategic partnership. A comprehensive action plan has also been formulated to translate the potential of this partnership into results," he said.

India and the Philippines are celebrating 75 years of establishment of diplomatic relations and the two leaders released a postage stamp to commemorate the occasion.

Modi also thanked the Philippine government for condemning the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives, and for standing with India in the fight against terrorism.

The prime minister said the enhanced defence relations between the two countries are a symbol of deep mutual trust.

"As maritime nations, maritime cooperation between the two countries is both natural and essential. We have been working together in humanitarian aid, disaster relief, search and rescue," Modi said.

He said under the development partnership, India will increase the number of Quick Impact Projects in the Philippines and will also cooperate in the development of sovereign data cloud infrastructure.

"Today, when the President is in India, three ships of the Indian Navy are participating in a naval exercise in the Philippines for the first time," Modi said.

The prime minister said the trade between the two countries was increasing in a sustained manner and crossed USD 3 billion.

"To further strengthen trade ties, it is our priority to review the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement at the earliest. We have also decided to work towards a bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement," he said.

Modi said Indian companies are active in the sectors of information and digital technology, health, automobiles, infrastructure, and minerals. In the sector of science and technology, joint research is going on in areas from virology to artificial intelligence and additive manufacturing, he added.

The prime minister said the science and technology cooperation plan between the two countries will add momentum to this partnership. PTI SKU SKU KVK KVK

Strategic partnership elevates defence and maritime cooperation, commits to rules-based navigation and expanded trade and technology ties. Elevation to a strategic partnership formalises enhanced political, defence and security cooperation through nine signed pacts, notably a declaration and implementation framework, and terms of reference for structured military talks among armies, air forces and navies, together with cooperation on the peaceful use of outer space; a comprehensive action plan reinforces commitment to a rules-based order and freedom of navigation, while parallel defence, maritime, development and trade measures (including Quick Impact Projects, sovereign data cloud cooperation, and pursuit of a bilateral preferential trade agreement) operationalise the partnership.