Vientiane, Laos:

PM Modi today attended the 21st ASEAN-India Summit in Laos. At the summit, PM Modi also announced a 10-point plan to strengthen ASEAN-India comprehensive partnership and asserted that ties with the regional grouping were critical for Asia’s future.

Vientiane, Laos:

PM Modi today attended the 21st ASEAN-India Summit in Laos. At the summit, PM Modi also announced a 10-point plan to strengthen ASEAN-India comprehensive partnership and asserted that ties with the regional grouping were critical for Asia’s future.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi. File photo
| Photo Credit: ANI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (October 10, 2024) expressed confidence that his visit to Laos to attend the ASEAN-India and East Asia summits will further deepen engagement with ASEAN countries.

In his departure statement, Mr. Modi noted that India is marking a decade of Act East policy this year.

“I will join the ASEAN leaders to review progress in our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and chart the future direction of our cooperation,” the Prime Minister said.

The East Asia Summit will provide an opportunity to deliberate on the challenges to peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, he said.

Mr. Modi said India shared close cultural and civilisation ties with the region, including with Lao PDR, which are enriched by a shared heritage of Buddhism and Ramayana.

“I look forward to my meetings with the Lao PDR leadership to further strengthen our bilateral ties,” he said.

Mr. Modi is visiting Lao PDR at the invitation of Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone to participate in the 21st ASEAN-India and the 19th East Asia summits.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi. File photo
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a two-day visit to Laos on October 10 and 11 during which he will attend the 21st ASEAN-India Summit and the 19th East Asia Summit, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday (October 8, 2024).

Laos is the current chair of ASEAN.

Watch: India’s ASEAN outreach | Importance of PM Modi’s SE Asia visit

On the invitation of his Laos counterpart Sonexay Siphandone, Prime Minister Modi will visit Vientiane on October 10-11, the MEA said in a statement.

During the visit, Mr. Modi will attend the 21st ASEAN-India Summit and the 19th East Asia Summit being hosted by Laos as the current chair of ASEAN, it said.

Mr.Modi is also expected to hold bilateral meetings on the margins of the two summits, according to the MEA.

“India is marking a decade of the Act East Policy this year. Relations with ASEAN are a central pillar of the Act East Policy and our Indo-Pacific vision,” the MEA said.

The ASEAN-India Summit will review the progress of India-ASEAN relations through “our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” and chart the future direction of cooperation.

“The East Asia Summit, a premier leaders-led forum that contributes to building an environment of strategic trust in the region, provides an opportunity for leaders of EAS Participating Countries, including India, to exchange views on issues of regional importance,” the Ministry said.