To mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between their two countries, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. have released commemorative postal stamps. During President Marcos Jr.’s five-day state visit to India, he released the stamps. He said it was one of the most “productive and constructive” trips he had ever taken.
The designs on the stamps show how close the cultures of India and the Philippines are and how close their friendship is. The Sampaguita is the national flower of the Philippines, and the Lotus is the national flower of India. Each stamp shows one of these flowers.
Celebrating 75th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties between 🇮🇳 & 🇵🇭.
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) August 5, 2025
PM @narendramodi and President @bongbongmarcos jointly unveiled the commemorative Postal Stamps, themed on National Flowers of India & Philippines i.e the Lotus & the Sampaguita respectively;… pic.twitter.com/QMFbnnZMWT
Randhir Jaiswal, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), posted on X (previously Twitter) that the stamps “reflect the close cultural connections and long-lasting friendship between India and the Philippines.” The stamps were one of the best parts of President Marcos Jr.’s visit. The two countries also agreed to make their relationship a strategic cooperation focused on trade, security, and defense.
Union Health Minister and BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda met with President Marcos Jr. as part of the BJP’s worldwide outreach campaign, “Know BJP.” This was a different encounter. Nadda told the President about how the world’s largest political party works and talked about how to improve cooperation in the healthcare field. The start of the commemorative stamps and other agreements, coupled with this meeting, show how the relationship between India and the Philippines is becoming more complex.
President Marcos Jr. spoke at a luncheon held by President Droupadi Murmu. He said that the visit was a success since the two countries are still close. India and the Philippines officially opened diplomatic ties on November 26, 1949. Since then, they have signed a number of accords, including a Treaty of Friendship in 1952.