President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. left for New Delhi, India, on Friday evening to represent the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as its 2026 Chair at the 18th BRICS Summit.
The President and his delegation took off from Villamor Air Base at approximately 7:50 p.m., bringing the regional bloc’s key priorities to the global stage while aiming to strengthen bilateral ties and draw vital investments to the Philippines.
In his departure address, President Marcos stated that the September 12–13 summit serves as an invaluable venue to communicate ASEAN’s strategic vision to BRICS member states and reinforce its commitment to working within established international frameworks.
“I will offer views on how partners can and should work in concert, if not together, to address these challenges, especially those that impact developing countries and emerging economies,” President Marcos said, referring to his scheduled address at the summit’s Open Session on September 13, where the Philippines was invited as an Outreach Country and ASEAN Chair.
“We will call for fairer global governance, stronger disaster preparedness, the responsible use of new technologies, climate action, and the peaceful settlement of disputes under international law,” the President added.
Marcos emphasized that he would leverage ASEAN’s established history of inclusive dialogue and strategic autonomy to help navigate complex global realities.
Beyond his regional mandate, President Marcos noted that the visit provides an opportunity to infuse practical energy into the Philippines’ bilateral relationship with India.
“With Prime Minister Modi, we will track progress in the key areas of our Strategic Partnership, and pick up on our governments’ sustained exchange of perspectives on broader economic and strategic questions confronting our shared interests,” the President said.
“Prime Minister Modi and I will review the progress in the implementation of the Five-Year Plan of Action for 2025-2029 that underpins our Strategic Partnership,” President Marcos added.
The bilateral talks will encompass maritime and defense cooperation, investment flows, digital innovation, pharmaceutical supply chains, direct flight connectivity, tourism, people-to-people relations and the proposed Preferential Trade Agreement.
The President plans to extend a formal invitation for Prime Minister Modi to visit Manila in November for the ASEAN-India Summit and the East Asia Summit. He noted that Modi’s presence as an ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partner would underline India’s support for the Philippines’ leadership of the bloc.
President Marcos is also scheduled to meet with major Indian business figures to pitch economic opportunities back home, citing infrastructure, digital tech, IT, logistics and healthcare as prime areas for partnership.
Reflecting on the historical links between both nations, the President highlighted the imperative of keeping modern connections strong and secure.
“Where the sea’s currents and trade winds of yore were sufficient to link geographies, we must now ensure that the sea lanes are just as free, open, and governed by law, rules and responsible behavior,” the President emphasized.
“We thus embark for India determined to continue the task of translating potential to action, and action into gains—gains for greater economic security for the Filipino people, for ASEAN and its external partnerships and for fostering broader practical cooperation among players, even of differing persuasions, to support peace, security, and shared prosperity,” the Chief Executive added.
Originally established as BRIC in 2001 by Brazil, Russia, India and China, and joined by South Africa in 2010, the BRICS bloc represents major emerging global economies. The organization has expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia, with Southeast Asian neighbors Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand participating as partner countries.