Political, economic cooperation with ASEAN an utmost priority, says Jaishankar

Vientiane [Laos], July 26: Speaking at the ASEAN meeting at Vientiane, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said that political, economic and security cooperation with ASEAN is of the utmost priority.

Jaishankar said that for India, ASEAN is the cornerstone of its Act East policy, the Indo-Pacific vision that was built on it and the people-to-people linkages that India is constantly seeking to expand.

“The priority that India attaches to ASEAN and AS platforms is evident from Prime Minister Modi visiting Jakarta last year on the very eve of our own G20 summit. He had announced a 12-point plan that has been largely acted upon,” he said.

Jaishankar said that it is encouraging to see that ASEAN’s partnership acquires more dimensions every year. “Though ASEAN’s achievements are substantial, our ambitions must remain high,” he said.

Jaishankar thanked Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore Vivian Balakrishnan, for his wishes on the former’s reappointment and said he looked forward to working with him in the future. He also appreciated Balakrishnan’s role as country coordinator.

As the Philippines will take over as the next country coordinator, Jaishankar said that he looked forward to working closely with the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, Enrique Manalo.

He congratulated Lao PDR for the chairmanship of ASEAN. “I extend our fullest support for the successful chairmanship [to Lao PDR]. I also thank our colleague and Lao PDR for the warm welcome and hospitality.”

He welcomed Timor-Leste as an observer in the meeting. “Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that we will open an embassy in Delhi. We are proceeding to do so very shortly and in fact, we will be undertaking high-level visits there as well.”

“I extend my deepest appreciation to all of you for strengthening ASEAN India relations through substantive and tangible cooperation identified under the ASEAN India Plan of Action,” Jaishankar said, adding that he looked forward to further discussions.

The ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference with India was convened in Vientiane on Friday and attended by the ASEAN Foreign Ministers, Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar and the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Political-Security Community Dato’ Astanah Abdul Aziz. Timor-Leste attended as an Observer.

The Meeting reaffirmed both sides’ commitment to further enhance the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in the coming years by continuing the robust implementation of the ASEAN-India Plan of Action and its Annex and develop its successor document which will guide both sides in realising the full potential of the CSP in the next five years. The Ministers also exchanged views on several regional and international issues of common interest and concern.