New Delhi [India], August 5 (ANI): Philippines President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr on Tuesday paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat during his ongoing state visit to India.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the gesture reflected the shared commitment of both India and the Philippines to the ideals of truth and non-violence.

In a post on X, Jaiswal wrote, 'Shared commitment to the ideals of truth and non-violence. President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr of the Philippines paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat today.'

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Marcos was accorded a ceremonial welcome earlier at Rashtrapati Bhavan. President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted the visiting leader at the forecourt.

The Ministry of External Affairs noted that Marcos was welcomed by a Guard of Honour and a ceremonial welcome.

In a post on X, the MEA stated, 'A special welcome for a special partner! President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr of the Philippines on his maiden State Visit to India was welcomed by Guard of Honour & ceremonial welcome. Warmly greeted by President Droupadi Murmu and PM Narendra Modi at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan.'

https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1952590276003876940

The Rashtrapati Bhavan, in a post on X, also shared, 'President Droupadi Murmu accorded a ceremonial welcome to H.E. Mr Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., President of the Republic of the Philippines at Rashtrapati Bhavan.'

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Addressing the media at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Marcos Jr said the world now refers to what was once the Asia Pacific Region as the Indo-Pacific Region.

'Indo Pacific is the correct evolution of Asia Pacific,' the visiting Philippines President said while addressing reporters at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhawan in the national capital today.

Marcos said that this is a reaffirmation of the alliance between Indian and the Philippines.

'I think it is a reaffirmation of the alliance and the partnership that we are strengthening. What used to be what where we used to refer to the Asia Pacific region we now refer to as the Indo Pacific region, which is I think a correct evolution of that understanding because of the global nature of all of politics and of all of trade and all of the economy. And to build upon what we already have had but to certainly to explore the many opportunities that have arisen in the past few years because of the new technologies and the changing state of the global economy and the geopolitical the geopolitics around us now,' he said.

President Marcos is on a five-day state visit to India from August 4 to 8. (ANI)