Signing of the Agreement on India’s Grant Assistance for the Quick Impact Projects (QIP) between the Philippines and India

08 February 2023 – The Government of the Republic of the Philippines, represented by Hon. Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr., Philippines’ Secretary for the Interior and Local Government and the Government of India, represented by H.E. Shambhu S. Kumaran, Ambassador of India to the Philippines, signed on 08 February 2023, the Agreement on India’s Grant Assistance for the Quick Impact Projects (QIP). The signing ceremony was held in Camp Crame, Quezon City, Manila.

Secretary Abalos thanked the Government of India for the grant of development assistance, noting that the QIP would be greatly beneficial to the development projects of the local government units (LGUs) across the country. For his part, Ambassador Kumaran mentioned that the Agreement is a milestone in the bilateral relationship between the Philippines and India and that this will provide a legal framework for bringing India’s development experience to the Philippines. Ambassador Kumaran also added that the priorities under the QIP will be identified by the Philippines, which may focus on agriculture, health, and education. India’s expertise in digital technology may also be introduced in the Philippines under the QIP.

The Agreement on QIP aims to facilitate India’s grant of development assistance to the Philippines based on the latter’s priority areas, which may include projects for socio-economic development in the Philippines, establishment or improvement of social infrastructure on education, health, sanitation, community development, as well as physical infrastructure for road improvement and local community centers, among others.