President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam of India will make a four-day state visit to the Philippines starting tomorrow, Feb. 3, to rejuvenate bilateral ties between the Philippines and India, particularly in the fields of medicine, tourism, trade and investments, agriculture, and defense.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo yesterday said that the visit of President Kalam this week is expected to yield mutual benefits for both countries, including the proposed importation of cheap medicines from India, the signing of a defense agreement between the two countries, and the promotion of the Philippines as an investment and tourism destination in the health and technology sectors.
Kalam is scheduled to meet President Arroyo in Malacañang on Saturday, Feb. 4, where the Philippines is expected to push for more Indian investments to the Philippines, particularly on the medical and technology sectors.
Romulo said that the Philippines and India are looking at possible cooperation in the fields of business processes outsourcing and medical tourism, where both countries are considered world leaders. (David Cagahastian)
Also in the official agenda for the India president’s visit is the Philippines’ call for the support of India, a multi-religious society home to the second largest Muslim population in the world, to play a lead role in promoting the use of interfaith dialogue in efforts to resolve and prevent conflicts.
On defense cooperation, the two countries are expected to sign a defense cooperation agreement, particularly on naval and maritime cooperation, counterterrorism cooperation, and closer coordination between the defense officials of both countries.
Romulo welcomed the Indian President’s visit as it would set the tone for follow-up bilateral discussions to be held during the Philippines’ hosting later this year of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit where India is included as a dialogue partner.
The Indian Embassy in Manila, meanwhile, announced that Kalam, a prominent doctor and scientist in India, is also scheduled to visit the University of the Philippines and the Philippine Science High School in Quezon City, the College of Nursing of UP Manila, and the International Rice Research Institute in Los Baños, Laguna.
Kalam will also be addressing a Joint Session of the Philippine Congress.
Kalam’s visit will be the first visit to the Philippines of an Indian head of State in 15 years, and is meant to reciprocate the visit to India of former president Fidel Ramos in 1997. The last visit of an Indian head of state was in 1991 when President R. Venkataraman visited the Philippines.
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