India and the Philippines celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations with the Indo-Philippine Cultural and Educational Exchange Summit in Cebu, the Queen City of the South. A key highlight of the event was the unveiling of a statue of Tamil saint and poet Thiruvalluvar at Gullas College of Medicine (GCM).

Ambassador Harsh Kumar Jain inaugurated the statue on Saturday and attended the summit, which was organized at GCM on February 15, 2025. The event was led by GCM’s Chief Executive Adviser, Dr. David Pillai, who commissioned the statue as part of the celebrations.

The evening featured cultural performances by Indian and Filipino troupes and speeches from dignitaries. Among the attendees were former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, senior officials from national and local governments, diplomats, members of the Indian diaspora, and distinguished guests from both countries.

Earlier, in November 2024, India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar attended a celebration in New Delhi hosted by the Embassy of the Philippines to mark the milestone. He emphasized the strong bilateral ties, highlighting shared democratic values, economic commonalities, and converging interests in the Indo-Pacific.

India and the Philippines have long collaborated on strengthening cultural ties. The Philippines shares civilizational links with India, as seen in the presence of Sanskrit-rooted words in Tagalog, the local language. Indian cultural events are regularly organized across Manila and other regions to celebrate India’s Republic Day, Independence Day, and festivals, as well as significant occasions like Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, Constitution Day, and Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas.