New Delhi [India], August 6 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of the Philippines Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr jointly launched commemorative postal stamps to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and the Philippines.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Tuesday said that the commemorative stamps reflect the strong bond of friendship between the two nations.

In a post on X, Jaiswal wrote, 'Celebrating 75th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties between India & Philippines. PM Narendra Modi and President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr jointly unveiled the commemorative Postal Stamps, themed on National Flowers of India & Philippines, i.e the Lotus & the Sampaguita respectively; reflecting the close cultural connections and long-lasting friendship between India & the Philippines.'

https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1952685801621291357

As part of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) international outreach programme 'Know BJP', Union Health Minister and BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda also met President Marcos Jr in New Delhi.

In a post on X, Nadda stated, 'Met with the President of the Republic of the Philippines, H.E. Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., in New Delhi today as part of our 'Know BJP' initiative. During our discussion, I briefed him on how the world's largest political party functions, including its ideology, organisational structure and outreach. We exchanged valuable insights to strengthen party-to-party ties. We also had a detailed discussion on how to enhance cooperation in the healthcare sector. Looking forward to continued cooperation and mutual progress.'

https://x.com/JPNadda/status/1952731806031077875

The meeting took place on the sidelines of Marcos Jr's five-day state visit to India.

Speaking at a banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Marcos Jr described the trip as one of the most 'productive and constructive' visits he has undertaken and attributed its success to the enduring closeness between the two countries.

'It has been one of my most productive and constructive visits that I have ever had, and I attribute this to the enduring closeness between the Philippines and India,' he said. (ANI)