Vientiane: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday addressed the ASEAN-India Summit in Vientiane, Laos, where he 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.
"I had announced India's Act-East policy. In the last decade, this policy has given new energy, direction and momentum to the historic relations between India and ASEAN countries. Giving prominence to ASEAN, in 1991 we launched the Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiative," said Modi at the 21st ASEAN-India Summit on Thursday.
He also listed out other initiatives undertaken by India to enhance multilateral cooperation with countries in the ASEAN region. "Last year maritime exercises for regional security and stability were started. In the last 10 years, our trade with the ASEAN region has almost doubled to over 130 billion dollars. Today, India has direct flight connectivity with 7 ASEAN countries and soon direct flights will start with Brunei as well," he said.
"We have opened new consulates in Timor Leste. Singapore was the first country in the ASEAN region with which we established fintech connectivity and now this is being replicated in other countries as well," he added. The Prime Minister further said India has direct flight connectivity with around seven ASEAN countries and the same will begin with Brunei as well.
India-ASEAN cooperation vital in 21st century: PM Modi
Prime Minister Modi 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.
India has also contributed $30 million to India-ASEAN Science and Technology Fund, Green Fund and Digital Fund for cooperation in several areas. The PM said India and ASEAN are neighbours, partners in the Global South and a rapidly-growing region in the world.
"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. Today, when there is a situation of conflict and tension in many parts of the world, the friendship, cooperation, dialogue and cooperation of India and ASEAN are very important," Modi further said.
PM Modi's statement before departing
"Today, I am embarking on a two-day visit to Vientiane, Lao PDR at the invitation of Prime Minister Mr. Sonexay Siphandone to participate in the 21st ASEAN-India and the 19th East Asia Summit," PM Modi said in a statement released just before his departure. He emphasised that this year India-Laos marked a decade of Act East Policy.
"The East Asia Summit will 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. I am confident that this visit will further deepen our engagement with ASEAN countries," he added.
2024 marks a decade of India's Act East Policy and during this decade, the engagements have grown from stronger people-to-people connections to robust cooperation in trade and investment, defence and security, and connectivity including fin-tech, heritage conservation and capacity building. It also marks important anniversaries of India's diplomatic relations with several countries in the region like Brunei, Philippines and Singapore.
