New Delhi, July 31 -- Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr is set to visit India this week to take forward economic and security ties in a trip that will coincide with the first naval exercise between the two countries in the South China Sea. Marcos, also known as "Bongbong", will make his first visit to India since becoming president in 2022 during August 4-8, people familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity. On August 3, India and the Philippines will begin their first "bilateral maritime cooperative activity" in waters close to the Scarborough Shoal, a focal point of the maritime dispute between Manila and Beijing. Besides holding talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Marcos will deliver a speech on the theme of the Philippines and India as partners for a rules-based order at an event organised by a think tank on August 6. The people cited above said that Marcos' visit underscores the growing strategic convergence between India and the Philippines, especially in defence and maritime security cooperation. The visit also comes at a time of heightened tensions in the South China Sea, with New Delhi and Manila working to expand military collaboration and strengthen regional security.P7...