Marcos turns India visit into a push for airports and digital growth

FloydPhilippine Canadian Inquirer
September 13, 2026

Photo Courtesy: PCO

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is using his visit to India to turn diplomatic ties into potential business opportunities, with airport development and digital payments emerging as key areas of discussion with major Indian companies.

Marcos met with Indian business groups in New Delhi, including GMR Group, to discuss the development of Sangley Airport in Cavite, as well as opportunities in the country’s growing digital economy.

The talks come as the Philippines continues to pursue better connectivity and modern infrastructure, with airports seen as an important link to tourism, trade and investment.

Digital payments were also part of the discussions, highlighting another area where Philippine and Indian companies could deepen cooperation as both countries move toward more technology driven economies.

The meetings form part of Marcos’ broader business agenda in India, where several Indian firms have expressed interest in expanding their operations in the Philippines across sectors including aviation, healthcare, agriculture, digital payments, artificial intelligence and telecommunications.

For the Philippines, the push is about more than attracting capital. It is also about bringing in expertise and technology that can help modernize infrastructure, improve services and create new opportunities for businesses and consumers.

As Marcos engages Indian conglomerates on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, the Philippines is positioning its relationship with India not only as a diplomatic partnership, but as a potential source of new investments, infrastructure and digital innovation.