00:00We are going to go to India to explore the path of Prime Minister Nayendra Modi.
00:07Just a little over a year ago, I visited India on a fruitful state visit
00:11that saw our intensifying 75-year-old ties
00:15deservingly and fittingly elevated to a strategic partnership.
00:20This time, our purpose is twofold.
00:22First, the Philippines will represent our as-and community in our capacity as chair.
00:26In the two-day 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi this weekend,
00:31the Philippines shall be joining BRICS core member and partner countries
00:35as one of the invited outreach countries.
00:38In this role, I will carry ASEAN's voice to the summit
00:41and help amplify our community's perspectives on the issues of our time,
00:46guided by the priorities of our chairship, peace and security anchors,
00:51prosperity corridors, and people empowerment.
00:54ASEAN represents the 11 nations of Southeast Asia,
00:57a community of almost 700 million people united by a shared commitment
01:02to regional stability and collective prosperity.
01:05We will engage the BRICS community, whose ranks include four of our fellow ASEAN member states,
01:11on advancing our quest for peace, inclusive growth, regional resilience,
01:16sustainable development, food and energy security, and the rules-based international order.
01:22Malaki ang may aambag ng ASEAN dito, kabilang ang ating mga naging aksyon sa mga isyong ito.
01:28We have been asked to participate in the BRICS Summit at a time
01:31when the global economy is undergoing profound changes, even pressure.
01:36Indeed, international and regional groupings may diverge on issues, thrusts, and interests.
01:41It is our conviction, however, that as a broader community of nations,
01:46it is imperative that we coalesce and cohere around issues that impact us collectively.
01:52It is interesting to note that the priorities of the Philippines' chairship of ASEAN,
01:57under the theme, Navigating Our Future Together,
02:01align well with the priorities of India's chairship of BRICS,
02:05which is themed, Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability.
02:10At the open session on September 13,
02:14which the Philippines as ASEAN Chair and as Outreach Country has been invited,
02:18I will have the opportunity to present the priorities of ASEAN to the BRICS members.
02:23I intend to highlight ASEAN's commitment to deepen its engagement
02:27with its partners through established frameworks.
02:30I will offer views on how partners can and should work in concert, if not together,
02:34to address these challenges, especially those that impact developing countries and emerging economies.
02:40We will call for fairer global governance, stronger disaster preparedness,
02:45and the responsible use of new technologies, climate action,
02:49and the peaceful settlement of disputes under international law.
02:52We will bring lessons from ASEAN's track record and long-standing commitment
02:56to open an inclusive dialogue while preserving strategic autonomy.
03:01Secondly, I return to India to further drive forward and provide practical substance to our engagement.
03:07With Prime Minister Modi, we will track progress in the key areas of our strategic partnership,
03:13pick up on our government's sustained exchange of perspectives
03:16on broader economic and strategic questions confronting our shared interests.
03:21Prime Minister Modi and I will review the progress in the implementation of the five-year plan of action
03:27for 2025 to 2029 that underpins our strategic partnership.
03:33Our discussions will cover defense and maritime cooperation, trade and investment,
03:38the proposed preferential trade agreement, health and pharmaceuticals, digital cooperation,
03:44tourism, direct air connectivity, and people-to-people ties.
03:48It will also be an auspicious occasion to renew our invitation for Prime Minister Modi to visit Manila
03:54for the ASEAN-India Summit and the East Asia Summit in November.
03:58As a comprehensive strategic partner of ASEAN, his visit and presence will affirm India's support
04:04for the Philippines' ASEAN chairship and our objectives.
04:08Business and economy are also important pillars of our ties with India.
04:11And while in New Delhi, I likewise look forward to engaging Indian companies and players
04:17on why the Philippines should be part of their growth story.
04:20They will have plenty of opportunities to consider in infrastructure, digitalization, IT, pharmaceuticals,
04:28transport and logistics, and other sectors critical to our development.
04:32Mga kababayan, malawak at malalim ang ating pagkakaibigan sa India.
04:36Our exchanges of visits with India harken back to an older age when our peoples and civilizations
04:43connected via early ideas, language, culture, and commerce.
04:47These links live on in our modern era through our diplomacy, trade, and business linkages,
04:53tourism connections, and the hallmarks of 21st century society, digital networks, supply chains,
05:00investment flows, financial systems, and technological ecosystems that connect our economies.
05:06Our task is to see that these modern connections remain open, resilient, and capable of delivering
05:13prosperity to our people.
05:15Where the seas, currents, and trade winds of yore were sufficient to link geographies,
05:20we must now ensure that the sea lanes are just as free, open, and governed by law, rules,
05:26and responsible behavior.
05:28We thus embarked for India, determined to continue the task of translating potential to action,
05:33and action into gains.
05:35Gains for greater economic security for the Filipino people, for ASEAN and its external partnerships,
05:41and for fostering broader practical cooperation among players, even of differing persuasions,
05:48to support peace, security, and shared prosperity.
05:51I look forward to another productive visit to India, to engaging leaders, nations, and entities
05:57participating in the BRICS Summit, and to opening more doors for the Philippines and for ASEAN.
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