PRESIDENT MARCOS MEETS WITH INDIAN AGENCIES ON RAILWAY PROJECTS, SPACE TECHNOLOGY

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Saturday met with two Indian organizations to explore cooperation on major railway projects and space technology development in the Philippines.

The President first met with representatives of Rail India Technical and Economic Service Ltd. (RITES), an Indian transport infrastructure consultancy under the Ministry of Railways, to explore possible cooperation on at least three railway projects in the Philippines.

In an interview following the meetings at Taj Mahal Hotel in New Delhi, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Acting Secretary Dave Gomez said the priority projects being considered by RITES are the Mindanao Railway Project, a mass rail system in Cebu, and the extension of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) system from Tutuban.

“Ang unang-unang priority is the Mindanao Rail System. So titingnan nila ‘yun at pag-aaralan natin. Susunod ‘yung mass rail system sa Cebu,” said Gomez, who joined the President during the meetings.

“And the third na papasukin nila, ‘yung extension ng PNR sa Tutuban. So ‘yung tatlong areas na ‘yun sa rail system,” he added.

According to Gomez, RITES could participate in the projects as a consultant or through a public-private partnership (PPP), while also helping the Philippines explore official development assistance (ODA).

President Marcos also met with officials of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to discuss cooperation with the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) in support of the country’s long-term goal of launching its own satellite.

Gomez said India could share its technical expertise and experience with the Philippines as the Marcos administration seeks to strengthen the country’s capabilities in space technology.

“Importante talaga na magkaroon din tayo ng sarili nating satellite dahil maraming gamit, maraming tulong ‘yan from communications to weather forecasting because of climate change, kailangan natin ‘yan, to defense and security,” Gomez said.

“So talaga ‘yun ang aspiration ng administrasyong Marcos to eventually launch our satellite. So tutulungan nila tayo,” he added.

The President was also joined in the meetings by Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, Finance Acting Secretary Frederick Go, Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez, PhilSA Director General Dr. Gay Jane Perez, and Philippine Ambassador to India Josel F. Ignacio.

Prior to the two meetings, President Marcos met with officials of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) following the Philippines’ entry into the coalition. The meeting focused on cooperation to help strengthen Philippine infrastructure against disasters and climate-related risks.

President Marcos is in India to attend the two-day BRICS Summit upon the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He is participating in the summit in his capacity as Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for 2026.

The President is also scheduled to meet with representatives of three Indian companies on Saturday afternoon, with discussions expected to focus on potential investments and job opportunities in the Philippines.