President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s participation in the BRICS Summit in India is already translating into fresh investment commitments for the Philippines, with Indian technology conglomerate iSON Group announcing plans to significantly expand its operations across several key sectors.
During meetings with Indian business leaders in New Delhi, iSON Group committed US$75 million in new and scaled-up investments in the Philippines, a move the Philippine government said could generate approximately 2,000 jobs.
The planned investments cover agricultural technology, healthcare, business process outsourcing (BPO), and digital infrastructure, according to Trade and Industry Secretary Maria Cristina Roque.
iSON eyes agriculture, healthcare and BPO
The company’s expansion goes beyond telecommunications.
Roque said iSON Group is looking at using technology to modernize agriculture, including a proposed US$50-million agro-solar project designed to support the country’s agricultural and food-security objectives.
The company is also exploring expanded healthcare services, including 24/7 teleconsultation, which could potentially give Filipinos in remote areas greater access to doctors without having to travel long distances.
The proposed teleconsultation service could cost around P65 per month, although the final price and implementation remain subject to the company’s plans.
Another component is a US$10-million expansion of iSON’s BPO and global delivery centers, potentially strengthening the Philippines’ position as a major destination for technology-enabled services.
The bigger investment story: iSON is already building telecom infrastructure
The latest US$75-million commitment is only part of iSON’s growing footprint in the Philippines.
The Department of Finance earlier said iSON has a broader US$300-million investment program for telecommunications and other digital infrastructure in the country.
So far, the company has deployed approximately US$65 million and constructed about 450 telecommunications towers, with plans to build more than 3,000 towers nationwide.
The towers are being developed through iSON Tower, the group’s digital infrastructure arm, which has been operating in the Philippines since 2021 under the government’s common-tower framework.
The company’s existing towers reportedly serve around 600 tenants across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, highlighting the scale of its existing Philippine operations.
From towers to a wider digital economy play
iSON’s Philippine strategy also reflects a broader shift from traditional telecommunications infrastructure toward an integrated technology ecosystem.
Its partnership with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority has explored common telecommunications infrastructure in major development areas, including New Clark City, Camp John Hay, Poro Point Freeport Zone, Morong Discovery Park and Bonifacio Global City.
That expansion could become increasingly significant as the Philippines accelerates digitalization, artificial intelligence, connectivity and technology-enabled public services.
Marcos’ BRICS trip opens another investment channel
The iSON announcement came as Marcos visited New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit, where he represented the Philippines as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Although the Philippines is not a BRICS member, Marcos was invited to participate as an outreach country and ASEAN chair.
Before the trip, Philippine officials said the President would use the visit to pursue greater cooperation in trade, investment, digital infrastructure, technology, energy security and other areas.
The investment push also builds on Marcos’ August 2025 state visit to India, during which the Philippines secured US$446 million in actual investments across 18 business agreements, while generating interest for potential investments worth as much as US$5.798 billion. Those commitments covered areas including digital infrastructure, renewable energy, healthcare, manufacturing and IT-BPM.
Why the iSON expansion matters
The latest announcement gives the Philippines more than another foreign investment headline.
If implemented as planned, the projects could mean new jobs, wider digital connectivity, additional healthcare access and greater technology adoption in agriculture.
It also signals that Indian companies already operating in the Philippines are willing to deepen their presence rather than simply enter the market.
For Marcos, the development provides another concrete outcome from his push to strengthen economic ties with India.
For iSON, meanwhile, the Philippines is increasingly becoming a strategic base for telecommunications, technology, BPO, healthcare and other digital services.
And with the company already having deployed millions of dollars into Philippine infrastructure, the bigger question now is how quickly its next wave of projects will move from investment commitments to actual construction, operations and jobs on the ground.
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