PM Modi participates in 22nd ASEAN-India Summit virtually

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the 22nd ASEAN-India Summit virtually on October 26. 

• This was PM Modi’s 12th participation in the India-ASEAN Summit.

• PM Modi and ASEAN leaders jointly reviewed progress in ASEAN-India relations and discussed initiatives for strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. 

• He emphasised that early review of the ASEAN-India FTA (AITIGA) can unleash the full economic potential of our relationship for the benefit of our peoples and further strengthen regional cooperation.

In support of the Malaysian Chair’s theme of “Inclusivity and Sustainability”, PM Modi  announced:

a) Extended support for implementation of the ASEAN-India Plan of Action to implement the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2026-2030).

b) Adoption of the ASEAN-India Joint Leaders’ Statement on Sustainable Tourism to strengthen tourism cooperation, as we celebrate the ASEAN-India Year of Tourism.

c) Designation of the year 2026 as the ‘ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation’ to forge partnerships in the ‘blue economy’.

d) Extending Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) to Timor-Leste.

What is ASEAN?

• The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established on August 8, 1967 in Bangkok by five countries —  Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

• There are currently 11 member states: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam and Timor-Leste.

• The ASEAN Summit is the highest policy-making body in ASEAN comprising the heads of State or government of ASEAN member states. As per regular practice, the ASEAN Summit Meetings shall be held twice annually. The first ASEAN Summit was held in Bali, Indonesia on February 23-24, 1976.

• ASEAN is considered one of the most influential groupings in the region. India and several other countries, including the US, China, Japan and Australia, are its dialogue partners.

India-ASEAN relations

• ASEAN centrality has been, and will remain, an important aspect of India’s ‘Act East’ policy which is a central element in the country’s foreign policy.

• ASEAN-India dialogue relations have grown rapidly from a sectoral dialogue partnership in 1992 to a full dialogue partnership in December 1995. The relationship was further elevated with the convening of the ASEAN-India Summit in 2002 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Since then the ASEAN-India Summit has been held annually.

• At the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit held in December 2012 in New Delhi, the leaders adopted the ASEAN-India Vision Statement and declared that the ASEAN-India Partnership stands elevated to a ‘Strategic Partnership’. 

• In 2022, ASEAN-India relations were elevated to ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’, that is meaningful, substantive and mutually beneficial.

• India’s bilateral trade with ASEAN economies is expected to reach $300 billion by 2025, and it is the fifth largest trading partner for India following North America, EU, North-East Asia and GCC-West Asia.