Vientiane: After attending the ASEAN-India Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held 'productive' bilateral meetings with his counterparts from New Zealand and Japan. Christopher Luxon, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, said he had a "fantastic" meeting with Modi and expressed his determination to build a deeper, broader and stronger relationship with India.
Prime Minister Modi met Luxon and his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba, who was recently appointed to the top position after his predecessor's surprise resignation earlier this year, on the sidelines of the 21st ASEAN-India Summit. He is expected to meet more leaders during his two-day visit in Laos as he will also address the 19th East Asia Summit.
Speaking to news agency ANI, New Zealand PM Luxon described himself as a big fan of India. "It's a country I love and admire tremendously. Indians back at home in New Zealand have done exceptionally well in New Zealand. They're very inspiring. They work incredibly hard and have got to all strata of success in our society."
Describing his meeting with PM Modi, Luxon said, "It was really a fantastic meeting and we look forward to continuing to deepen and broaden that relationship as well. He (PM Modi) very kindly invited us to India and we'll work with officials on the right timing for that. But there'll be a lot of enthusiasm back home in New Zealand as we will bring a big delegation as well, looking at the opportunities to work together."
The two Prime Ministers discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation across a range of areas including trade and investment, defence and security, renewable energy, education, dairy, agri-tech, sports, tourism, space, and people-to-people ties. PM Modi welcomed New Zealand’s decision to join the International Solar Alliance, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
"Had an excellent meeting with the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Mr Christopher Luxon. We value our friendship with New Zealand, bound together by a commitment to democracy, freedom and rule of law. Our talks covered sectors such as economic cooperation, tourism, education and innovation," said PM Modi on X.
PM Modi also met Ishiba, describing the meeting as "productive". "I’m happy to have met him just a few days after he became Japan’s PM. Our talks included ways to enhance cooperation in infrastructure, connectivity, defence and more. Boosting cultural linkages was also discussed," he said on X.
The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership through enhanced cooperation in a wide range of areas including trade and investment, infrastructure development, defense and security, semiconductors, skilling, culture and people to people exchanges. Both leaders emphasized that India and Japan are indispensable partners for a peaceful, safe, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region and renewed their commitment to working together to achieve this goal, the MEA said.
PM Modi addresses ASEAN-India Summit
Prime Minister Modi participated in the 21st ASEAN-India Summit in Vientiane, Laos to mark the 10th year of the Act East Policy and announced a 10-point plan to strengthen connectivity and resilience with its partners in the region with an aim to boost physical, digital, cultural and spiritual connectivity and resilience in his quest to chart the future direction of India's relations with the bloc.
During the high-level summit, Modi asserted that India's Act East policy has given energy and momentum to historic relations between New Delhi and ASEAN countries. He also said India-ASEAN cooperation was much needed today in the face of global conflicts. "We are peace-loving countries, respect each other's national integrity and sovereignty and we are committed to the bright future of our youth. I believe that the 21st century is the century of India and ASEAN countries," he added.
He also laid out India's human-centric approach in the development partnership with ASEAN by highlighting how 300 ASEAN students have benefitted from scholarships at the Nalanda University. "Efforts have been made to preserve shared heritage and heritage in Lao, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Indonesia. Whether it is the Covid pandemic or natural disaster, we have helped each other," he added.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, PM Modi reiterated India's support for ASEAN Unity, ASEAN Centrality and ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. He highlighted that India-ASEAN trade had doubled to over $130 million in the last 10 years and that ASEAN is today one of India’s largest trade and investment partners with direct flight connectivity established with seven ASEAN countries.
(with agency input)
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