Marcos cites need to explore more cooperation with India amid changes in geopolitics, economy

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. underscored Tuesday the need to explore more opportunities with India amid the changing geopolitical and economic state in the region. 

Marcos said this during the ceremonial reception accorded to him at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the President of the Republic of India. He was welcomed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu.

''I want to build upon what we already have now, but certainly to explore the many opportunities that have arisen in the past two years because of the new technologies and the changing state of the global economy and the geopolitics around this thing,'' Marcos said. 

During his meet and greet with the Filipino community on Monday evening, Marcos said the Philippines is ramping up its relations with India, which is considered as the fourth largest economy in the world.

''In the coming days, our delegation will be engaging not only the government of Prime Minister Modi, but also India’s biggest enterprises. We would like to see them invest more and generate more jobs back home,'' Marcos had said. 

He also announced that the two nations would inaugurate a strategic partnership, which means that the ''cooperation will intensify further and become even more impactful in many, many areas that we had not explored with India before such as defense, trade and investment, health, tourism, other areas.''

The President is on a five-day state visit to India and he will return to Manila on Friday, August 8. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News