EVEN a cursory look at the founding principles and values, mutual interests, and concerns shared between India and the Philippines would tell how promising and lasting this relationship can be. And yet, for decades, India-Philippine relations remained just what they were at the time of establishing diplomatic relations in 1949 — a promising relationship brimming with great potential! Both systemic and sub-systemic factors played a role in denying Delhi and Manila stronger ties in the past.

That, however, has changed in recent years, especially with the launch of India's Look East policy in 1992, rechristened the Act East policy in 2014. Despite their geographical distance, India and the Philippines sought to strengthen their partnership within the framework of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)-led mechanisms.