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PM Modi reiterates India's support for ASEAN Unity, ASEAN Centrality and ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific
Highlighting the impressive growth of their relationship over the past 10 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (October 10, 2024) asserted that the 21st century belongs to India and the ASEAN.
“Cooperation and coordination between India and ASEAN is very important at a time when there is conflict and strife in many parts of the world,” he stated while addressing the 21st ASEAN-India Summit in Vientiane, Laos, where he joined ASEAN leaders to review the progress of ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and chart the future direction of cooperation. This was Prime Minister Modi's 11th participation in the Summit.
In his address, PM reiterated India's support for ASEAN Unity, ASEAN Centrality and ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.
With the summit marking a decade of India’s Act East Policy, Prime Minister Modi pointed out that in the last 10 years, India-ASEAN trade had doubled to over USD 130 billion. At the same time, ASEAN is today one of India’s largest trade and investment partners, he added. He also highlighted the direct flight connectivity established between India and seven ASEAN countries and the promising beginning made with Fin-tech collaboration with the region in addition to the significant progress made in restoration of shared cultural heritage in five ASEAN countries.
Prime Minister Modi underlined the need to complete the review of ASEAN-India FTA (AITIGA) in a time bound manner towards harnessing greater economic potential for the benefit of the ASEAN-India community. He also spoke about the progress in India-ASEAN knowledge partnership through the scholarships provided to ASEAN youth at the Nalanda University.
Prime Minister Modi Outlines 10-Point Plan
In keeping with the ASEAN Chair’s theme of "Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience”, Prime Minister Modi announced a 10-point plan which includes:
1.Celebrating the year 2025 as ASEAN-India Year of Tourism for which India would make available USD 5 million towards joint activities;
2. To celebrate a decade of Act East Policy through several people centric activities including Youth Summit, Start-up Festival, Hackathon, Music Festival, ASEAN-India Network of Think Tanks and Delhi Dialogue;
3. To organise ASEAN-India Women Scientists Conclave under ASEAN-India Science and Technology Development Fund;
4. Doubling the number of scholarships at Nalanda University and provision of new scholarships for ASEAN students at Agricultural Universities in India;
5. Review of ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement by 2025;
6. Enhancing Disaster Resilience for which India would make available USD 5 million;
7. Initiate a new Health Ministers’ track towards building Health Resilience;
8. Initiate a regular mechanism of ASEAN-India Cyber Policy Dialogue towards strengthening Digital and Cyber Resilience;
9. Workshop on Green Hydrogen; and
10. Invited ASEAN Leaders to join ‘Plant a Tree for Mother’ campaign towards building climate resilience.
Leaders participating in the meeting agreed to create a new ASEAN-India Plan of Action (2026-2030) that will guide both sides in realizing the full potential of the ASEAN-India partnership and adopted Two Joint Statements:
1. Joint Statement on Strengthening ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace, Stability and Prosperity in the Region in the context of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) with the Support of India's Act East Policy (AEP) – Leaders recognized the contribution of India’s Act East Policy in advancing the partnership between ASEAN and India.
2. ASEAN-India Joint Statement on Advancing Digital Transformation Leaders appreciated India’s leadership in the field of digital transformation and welcomed partnership with India in digital public infrastructure.
In his departure statement ahead of his visit to Vientiane, Prime Minister Modi said he would join the ASEAN leaders to review progress in the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and chart the future direction of cooperation.
On the East Asia Summit, Prime Minister Modi said it would provide an opportunity to deliberate on the challenges to peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
“We share close cultural and civilisational ties with the region, including with Lao PDR, which are enriched by shared heritage of Buddhism and Ramayana. I look forward to my meetings with the Lao PDR leadership to further strengthen our bilateral ties,” he noted.
“I am confident that this visit will further deepen our engagement with ASEAN countries,” Prime Minister Modi stated.
Earlier, briefing the media about the visit, a top official of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India attaches great importance to all ASEAN-related mechanisms.
On 10 Years of India’s Act East Policy, MEA Secretary (East) Jaideep Mazumdar said there has been a qualitative and transformative development in India's relations, both with the ASEAN region and with the larger region, adding that India’s engagement with the region was ongoing and intense.
“Cooperation and coordination between India and ASEAN is very important at a time when there is conflict and strife in many parts of the world,” he stated while addressing the 21st ASEAN-India Summit in Vientiane, Laos, where he joined ASEAN leaders to review the progress of ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and chart the future direction of cooperation. This was Prime Minister Modi's 11th participation in the Summit.
In his address, PM reiterated India's support for ASEAN Unity, ASEAN Centrality and ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.
With the summit marking a decade of India’s Act East Policy, Prime Minister Modi pointed out that in the last 10 years, India-ASEAN trade had doubled to over USD 130 billion. At the same time, ASEAN is today one of India’s largest trade and investment partners, he added. He also highlighted the direct flight connectivity established between India and seven ASEAN countries and the promising beginning made with Fin-tech collaboration with the region in addition to the significant progress made in restoration of shared cultural heritage in five ASEAN countries.
Prime Minister Modi underlined the need to complete the review of ASEAN-India FTA (AITIGA) in a time bound manner towards harnessing greater economic potential for the benefit of the ASEAN-India community. He also spoke about the progress in India-ASEAN knowledge partnership through the scholarships provided to ASEAN youth at the Nalanda University.
Prime Minister Modi Outlines 10-Point Plan
In keeping with the ASEAN Chair’s theme of "Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience”, Prime Minister Modi announced a 10-point plan which includes:
1.Celebrating the year 2025 as ASEAN-India Year of Tourism for which India would make available USD 5 million towards joint activities;
2. To celebrate a decade of Act East Policy through several people centric activities including Youth Summit, Start-up Festival, Hackathon, Music Festival, ASEAN-India Network of Think Tanks and Delhi Dialogue;
3. To organise ASEAN-India Women Scientists Conclave under ASEAN-India Science and Technology Development Fund;
4. Doubling the number of scholarships at Nalanda University and provision of new scholarships for ASEAN students at Agricultural Universities in India;
5. Review of ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement by 2025;
6. Enhancing Disaster Resilience for which India would make available USD 5 million;
7. Initiate a new Health Ministers’ track towards building Health Resilience;
8. Initiate a regular mechanism of ASEAN-India Cyber Policy Dialogue towards strengthening Digital and Cyber Resilience;
9. Workshop on Green Hydrogen; and
10. Invited ASEAN Leaders to join ‘Plant a Tree for Mother’ campaign towards building climate resilience.
Leaders participating in the meeting agreed to create a new ASEAN-India Plan of Action (2026-2030) that will guide both sides in realizing the full potential of the ASEAN-India partnership and adopted Two Joint Statements:
1. Joint Statement on Strengthening ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace, Stability and Prosperity in the Region in the context of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) with the Support of India's Act East Policy (AEP) – Leaders recognized the contribution of India’s Act East Policy in advancing the partnership between ASEAN and India.
2. ASEAN-India Joint Statement on Advancing Digital Transformation Leaders appreciated India’s leadership in the field of digital transformation and welcomed partnership with India in digital public infrastructure.
In his departure statement ahead of his visit to Vientiane, Prime Minister Modi said he would join the ASEAN leaders to review progress in the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and chart the future direction of cooperation.
On the East Asia Summit, Prime Minister Modi said it would provide an opportunity to deliberate on the challenges to peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
“We share close cultural and civilisational ties with the region, including with Lao PDR, which are enriched by shared heritage of Buddhism and Ramayana. I look forward to my meetings with the Lao PDR leadership to further strengthen our bilateral ties,” he noted.
“I am confident that this visit will further deepen our engagement with ASEAN countries,” Prime Minister Modi stated.
Earlier, briefing the media about the visit, a top official of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India attaches great importance to all ASEAN-related mechanisms.
On 10 Years of India’s Act East Policy, MEA Secretary (East) Jaideep Mazumdar said there has been a qualitative and transformative development in India's relations, both with the ASEAN region and with the larger region, adding that India’s engagement with the region was ongoing and intense.
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