New Delhi (NVI): While addressing the 17th India-ASEAN virtual summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that the ASEAN group has been the core of India’s Act East Policy from the beginning.
“There are many similarities between India’s ‘Indo Pacific Oceans Initiative’ and ASEAN’s ‘Outlook on Indo Pacific’,” PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister co-chaired the 17th ASEAN-India Summit with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc today.
On the occasion, PM Modi said: “It is our main priority to increase the connectivity between India and ASEAN at several levels- Physical, Economic, Social, Digital, Financial, Maritime. In the last few years, we have come closer in all these areas.”
In his opening remarks, PM said the strategic partnership of India and ASEAN is based on a shared historical, geographical and cultural heritage.
The leaders of all ten ASEAN Member States– Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos– participated in the summit which was held virtually in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.
ASEAN-India summits provide the opportunity for India and ASEAN to engage at the highest level. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the 16th ASEAN-India Summit in Bangkok in November last year.
The 17th ASEAN-India Summit was the eighth summit attended by Modi.
“ASEAN-India strategic partnership stands on a strong foundation of shared geographical, historical and civilisational ties. India’s Act East Policy, underlining ASEAN centrality, reflects the importance, India attaches to engagement with ASEAN,” MEA said in a statement yesterday.
-ARK
