The Philippines and India are working on a possible state visit by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to the South Asian nation “as soon as possible this year” in time for the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two states.

In a television interview in India on Wednesday (local time), Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said Manila is hoping to see a number of “concrete deliverables” and agreements signed should the visit pushes through.

“We’re working on that visit, we’re hoping that it can be done as soon as possible early this year, so we’re working on the dates,” he said.

Manalo and Indian Minister of External Affairs Jaishankar previously discussed the visit in a meeting on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue held in India from March 17 to 19.

The Filipino top diplomat did not provide specifics about bilateral deals currently in the works but said Manila and New Delhi are working to improve cooperation on a number of areas, including in the maritime sphere.

He said the two nations are looking to expand talks on said area and consider “joint patrol exercises” as well as cooperation on maritime safety.

“I talked about greater Coast Guard cooperation; I think this is essential in the sense that it also will be dealing with issues such as maintaining peace and order in the region, (and) dealing with piracy or trafficking —I think definitely, that’s going to be one big aspect of our cooperation with India,” he said.

India and the Philippines marked 75 years of diplomatic relations on Nov. 16 , 2024.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the Philippine Embassy in India said the two countries have witnessed “mutual trust deepen and cooperation expand exponentially” as seen through sustained high-level interaction and political dialogues, record highs in bilateral trade, rising foreign direct investment, and new milestones in defense cooperation, among others. (PNA)