BLESSED with a pivotal geography and a robust economy with an impressive growth target of 6.5 percent this year, the Philippines is unmistakably a key player in both regional and international affairs amid the constant shifts taking place in the geopolitical landscape. Moreover, as the Indo-Pacific construct continues to gain momentum, the Philippines is seen not only as a vital player among countries in Southeast Asia or the Pacific, but also an increasingly important partner among countries in the Indian Ocean region. As a result, the rise of the Indo-Pacific and President Rodrigo Duterte's approach toward an independent foreign policy have provided great opportunities for Manila to strengthen its partnerships with countries beyond its traditional neighborhood.

One of the most important foreign policy developments throughout the Duterte administration has been the reinvigoration of the Philippines-India partnership in economics and defense. While bilateral relations have been on an upward trajectory since the 1990s, the partnership received a much-needed boost since 2016. This is the result of the convergence between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Act East policy and President Duterte's strategy to diversify the Philippines' strategic engagements amid the intensifying power competition between the United States and China.

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