Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared the 21st century as the century of India and the ASEAN nations, emphasizing the significance of their friendship during a time of global conflicts and tensions. Speaking at the 21st India-ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos, he noted that the Act East Policy, announced a decade ago, has revitalized India’s historical relationships with ASEAN countries.
Modi described ASEAN nations as India’s neighbors and partners in the Global South, highlighting their shared commitment to peace, national integrity, and the future of the region’s youth. He referenced the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiatives launched in 2019, mentioning that maritime exercises aimed at ensuring regional security and stability had commenced last year. Modi also reported that trade between India and ASEAN has nearly doubled to over USD 130 billion in the past decade.
During the summit, he unveiled a 10-point action plan aimed at strengthening ties with ASEAN. This includes designating 2025 as the ‘ASEAN-India Year of Tourism,’ supported by a USD 5 million investment for collaborative activities. Modi announced plans to commemorate a decade of the Act East Policy through various initiatives, such as a Youth Summit, Start-up Festival, Hackathon, Music Festival, and the ASEAN-India Network of Think Tanks.
The action plan also features an ASEAN-India Women Scientists Conclave funded by the ASEAN-India Science and Technology Development Fund, a doubling of scholarships at Nalanda University, and new scholarships for ASEAN students in India’s agricultural universities. Additionally, Modi called for a review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement by 2025.
Other initiatives announced include enhancing disaster resilience with USD 5 million, establishing a new Health Ministers’ track for health resilience, and creating a regular ASEAN-India Cyber Policy Dialogue for bolstering digital and cyber resilience. He also proposed a workshop on Green Hydrogen and invited ASEAN leaders to participate in the ‘Plant a Tree for Mother’ campaign to promote climate resilience.
