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Prime Minister Modi expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister of Laos for hosting the summit and to Singapore for its role as country coordinator
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He looked forward to working with the Philippines, the new country coordinator for ASEAN-India relations
Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the 21st ASEAN-India Summit held in Vientiane, Laos, on October 10, 2024. The summit marked a decade of India’s “Act East” policy, providing an opportunity to review progress on the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and outline future cooperation. This was Prime Minister Modi’s 11th attendance at the summit.
During his address, PM Modi reiterated India’s unwavering support for ASEAN Unity, ASEAN Centrality, and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. He highlighted the critical role of India-ASEAN relations in shaping Asia’s future, calling the 21st century “the Asian century.” He noted that India’s “Act East” policy has led to significant milestones over the past decade. Trade between India and ASEAN has doubled to over USD 130 billion, and ASEAN has become one of India’s largest trade and investment partners. Direct flight connectivity now links India with seven ASEAN nations, while fintech collaboration has taken off, and shared cultural heritage restoration has progressed across five ASEAN countries. Modi emphasized the importance of completing the review of the ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement (AITIGA) to unlock even greater economic potential for both sides.
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Leaders at the summit agreed to develop a new ASEAN-India Plan of Action (2026-2030) to fully realize the potential of their partnership
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Two joint statements were adopted: one on strengthening the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and another on advancing digital transformation
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The latter acknowledged India’s leadership in digital public infrastructure and welcomed future collaboration in this area
The Prime Minister also announced a 10-point plan in line with the summit’s theme of “Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience.” The plan includes celebrating 2025 as the ASEAN-India Year of Tourism, with India committing USD 5 million towards joint activities. The decade of the “Act East” policy will also be marked through various people-centric initiatives such as youth summits, startup festivals, hackathons, and music festivals. Modi announced an ASEAN-India Women Scientists Conclave and doubled the number of scholarships at Nalanda University, along with new opportunities for ASEAN students at agricultural universities in India.
The plan further includes the review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement by 2025, enhancing disaster resilience with another USD 5 million contribution, and launching a Health Ministers’ track to build health resilience. Other initiatives include a regular ASEAN-India Cyber Policy Dialogue to strengthen digital resilience, a workshop on green hydrogen, and an invitation to ASEAN leaders to participate in the “Plant a Tree for Mother” campaign, promoting climate resilience.
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