Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Laos on October 10-11 to participate in the 21st ASEAN-India Summit and the 19th East Asia Summit. This visit reaffirms India’s commitment to strengthening ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a key component of India’s Act East policy and Indo-Pacific vision. The summits will provide a platform to review India-ASEAN relations and explore future cooperation under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework.
India's Ministry of External Affairs stated that the East Asia Summit is a crucial forum for fostering strategic trust in the region, allowing leaders to exchange views on significant regional issues. PM Modi's visit to Laos comes at a time when India is marking a decade of its Act East Policy, highlighting ASEAN's central role in the evolving Indo-Pacific landscape. In September 2023, PM Modi attended the 20th ASEAN-India Summit in Indonesia, where he emphasized India's strong ties with Southeast Asia and the wider Indo-Pacific region.
India's engagement with ASEAN has been guided by three key goals: improving connectivity (physical, digital, and people-to-people) between India and ASEAN, strengthening the ASEAN organization, and expanding practical maritime cooperation. Several ASEAN nations, particularly those concerned about China's influence in the South China Sea, have sought deeper defense collaboration with India.
At the ASEAN-India Summit in Jakarta, PM Modi underscored the importance of ASEAN's centrality in the Indo-Pacific and highlighted the alignment between India’s Indo-Pacific Ocean’s Initiative (IPOI) and ASEAN’s Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). He presented a 12-point proposal to enhance cooperation in areas like digital transformation, trade, strategic engagement, and addressing contemporary challenges.
Prime Minister Modi's remarks at the summit emphasized the significance of Asia in shaping the 21st century, calling for a rule-based world order and collective efforts for global welfare. He also reiterated India's commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, aligning closely with ASEAN’s vision.
During the 18th East Asia Summit, PM Modi reaffirmed ASEAN's central role in the Indo-Pacific and stressed the importance of a rules-based order in the South China Sea, calling for adherence to international maritime laws. Additionally, the Prime Minister is expected to hold bilateral meetings with key leaders during his visit to Laos, further enhancing India’s diplomatic engagements.
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