Duterte, president of India agree to fight terror, threats
Credit to Author: CATHERINE S. VALENTE, TMT| Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2019 16:16:50 +0000
President Rodrigo Duterte and Indian President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday agreed to work in close coordination to fight terrorism and all transboundary threats.
The show of unity came as both the Philippines and India inked four agreements that intend to boost the two countries’ relations, during Kovind’s bilateral meeting with Duterte in Malacañang on Friday.
In his joint statement with Kovind, Duterte said he and the Indian leader committed “to further build a more dynamic and forward-looking relationship between the Philippines and India.”
“I welcomed India’s role in the defense capability upgrade program against the backdrop of our growing security cooperation. As countries strategically located in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, we affirmed our shared interest to protect our maritime commons and advance the rule of law in our maritime domains,” the Philippine President said.
“We agreed also to continue working together to fight terrorism and violent extremism and other transboundary threats,” he added.
Duterte said he and Kovind also discussed “the most pressing concerns of our region and beyond” such as maritime security and economic integration.
“Indeed, our discussion today was fruitful in its comprehensiveness, strengthening the foundations of our long-standing relations. With the signing of bilateral agreements, we have likewise widened the path toward enhancement of our engagement in maritime security, science [and] technology, tourism and cultural cooperation,” he added.
“We hope to look back on this day as a milestone in our relations, the day when we set out to turn promise into reality, and potential into concrete benefits [that] bring the greatest positive impact on the lives of our peoples,” Duterte said.
The President noted that “the era of [zero-sum] games and the ‘us versus them’ approach to world affairs is over.”
“What we need now is open and inclusive cooperation based on mutual respect and sovereign equality. Hence, just as India is deepening its presence in our region through the ‘Act East Policy,’ the Philippines is also expanding the boundaries of its diplomacy in pursuit of a truly independent foreign policy, as mandated by our Constitution,” he said.
Duterte also noted that both countries “are diversifying partnerships, rebalancing old ones and strengthening those that have traditionally been on the margins of our diplomacy.”
“What it requires, is of course, a deft and agile diplomacy that empowers us to maximize opportunities for cooperation in a complex external environment,” he said.
“In this period of interdependence and geopolitical shifts, an open, balanced and pragmatic stance is the most reasonable and least costly path to peace and prosperity for all,” the President added.
Duterte then described India as “a natural partner of the Philippines” and that “enhancing our relations is therefore timely as it is necessary.”
“These past seven decades are more than just the passage of time. They signify the stability of true friendship availing itself and between two major Asian democracies. They represent the steady maturing of ties that has helped transform our nations into the fast-growing economies of what they are today,” he said.
“More importantly, our celebrations in this year point us to the future, to the infinite possibilities of evolving relations,” the President added.
Kovind promised support to Duterte in eliminating terrorism “in all its forms and manifestations.”
“As two vibrant democracies that believe in a rules-based international order, respect for international law and sovereign equality of nations, the Philippines and India are natural partners in the pursuit of their respective national development and security objectives,” he said.
“Both of our countries have been victims of terrorism. As you know, India has been the target of cross-border terrorism for decades. They committed to work closely to defeat and eliminate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,” the Indian leader added.
He said India was also keen to participate in infrastructure development, as well as in defense modernization of the Philippines.
“In both these areas, Indian companies have made their mark and attain global reputation. We also invite companies from the Philippines to invest in India’s transformative growth and development,” Kovind added.
“While cooperation between governments is important, it is the people-to-people relations that form the bedrock of sound bilateral relations,” he said.
Kovind expressed deepest condolences on the loss of life caused by the recent earthquake in some areas in Mindanao.
The agreements signed during the two leaders’ expanded bilateral meeting were memorandum of understanding (MoU) on tourism cooperation; Program of Cooperation in the fields of Science and Technology for 2019 to 2022; MoU on Sharing of White Shipping Information; and Cultural Exchange Program between the Philippines India for the years 2019 to 2023.
In a statement, Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said bilateral trade between the Philippines and India stood at $2.32 billion and “has been increasing.”
He added that Indian investments in the Philippines were estimated at more than $900 million.
“India has a strong presence in pharma (generics), and its collaboration in the BPO (business process outsourcing) sector in the country has grown exponentially. Indeed, this visit augurs well to Philippines-India relations,” Panelo said.
Kovind is the third Indian leader to make a state visit to Manila since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and India in November 1949.
During his stay in the Philippines, he will meet with liver transplant patients in Makati City and Filipino beneficiaries of the Mahaveer Philippine Foundation Inc. at the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital Compound in Manila.
Kovind is set to attend a summit organized by Philippine and Indian business delegations in Makati City.
He will also witness the installation of Mahatma Gandhi’s bust in Quezon City and meet with members of the Indian community in the Philippines.
Kovind will return to India on October 21.