PM Modi and Philippines President R Duterte talk growth, counter-terror, people connect

NEW DELHI: Counter-terror, defence, development and people-to-people partnership dominated the first-ever dialogue between PM Modi and Philippines President R Duterte.

The PM began his meeting by saying that the Philippines president has won the hearts of Indians with the Rama Hari performance at the opening ceremony.

Indo-Philippines counter-terror partnership got a boost with this visit amid common threats. India was among first countries to offer support when Marawi, Duterte native place, was under terror siege. Regional development also figured in Modi-Duterte talks.

Earlier on Monday, Indo-Philippines development partnership got a boost when Modi visited the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Banos, near Manila, and inaugurated ‘Shri Narendra Modi Resilient Rice Field Laboratory’.

He undertook a symbolic ground-breaking for a new plot for submergence-tolerant rice varieties. He also presented two Indian rice seed varieties to the IRRI gene bank. “A contribution from India to IRRI. Presented two Indian rice seed varieties to the IRRI gene bank,” he later tweeted.

IRRI is a premier research body dedicated to reducing poverty and hunger through rice science, improving health and welfare of farmers and consumers, and protecting rice growing environment for future generations.