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The Philippines and India have agreed to implement reciprocal visa-free travel rules and resume direct flights starting October
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Electronic visas for Filipino tourists visiting India will now be free
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Tourism cooperation is among several bilateral agreements signed on the second day of Marcos’ five-day state visit to India
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The agreement is part of efforts to boost tourism and strengthen people-to-people ties under the newly-launched Strategic Partnership between the two countries
The Philippines and India have agreed to implement reciprocal visa-free travel rules and resume direct flights starting October, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. announced Tuesday while on a state visit to India.
The agreement is part of efforts to boost tourism and strengthen people-to-people ties under the newly-launched Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
The Philippines and India had formally elevated their bilateral ties through a declaration on the establishment of a Strategic Partnership that further deepens cooperation in areas such as defense, security, trade, science and technology, and tourism.
In a joint press conference with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, Marcos said the Philippines has extended visa-free entry privileges to Indian nationals and invited more Indian tourists to explore the country’s diverse destinations.
“I reiterated our introduction of visa-free country entry privileges and extended our invitation for more Indian tourists to visit the Philippines,” Marcos said, even as he welcomed the resumption of direct flights from October and committed to sustaining and expanding direct air connectivity.
READ: Air India to launch Delhi-Manila flights in Oct
Modi announced that electronic visas for Filipino tourists visiting India will now be free. “We welcome the Philippines’ decision to grant visa-free entry to Indian tourists. India has also decided to provide free e-visa facility to tourists from the Philippines. This year, work will also be done to start direct flights between Delhi and Manila,” Modi said in Hindi, according to a Google Translate interpretation.
Tourism cooperation is among several bilateral agreements signed on the second day of Marcos’ four-day state visit to India.
The Presidential Communications Office said the initiatives reflect the mutual desire to build stronger people-to-people links and encourage tourism, business travel, academic exchanges, and deeper cultural understanding between India and the Philippines.
Marcos and Modi witnessed the signing and exchange of multiple agreements and terms of reference, including those facilitating military-to-military staff talks between their respective military forces from the three services, as well as enhanced maritime cooperation between their coast guards.
The agreements were exchanged on the second day of the state visit of Marcos to India from August 4 to 8, 2025.
