10-Point Plan For Strong ASEAN, Bilaterals With Regional Counterparts: Recapping PM Modi’s Day 1 Of Laos Visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held a “very productive” meeting with newly-appointed Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba here during which they discussed ways to enhance cooperation in different areas, including infrastructure, connectivity and defence.

Separately, Prime Minister Modi also met his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon on the margins of the ASEAN-India Summit in Vientiane.

Modi, who is in the Laotian capital on a two-day visit, met Ishiba on the sidelines of the 21st ASEAN-India Summit and congratulated him on his new responsibility and wished him success in leading Japan to greater heights.

“Had a very productive meeting with PM Ishiba. I’m happy to have met him just a few days after he became Japan’s PM. Our talks included ways to enhance cooperation in infrastructure, connectivity, defence and more. Boosting cultural linkages was also discussed,” Modi said in a post on X.

Ishiba was appointed Japan’s prime minister just last week. He replaced Fumio Kishida, who stepped down to pave the way for a fresh leader.

The Prime Minister underscored that India will continue to accord the highest priority to its ties with Japan, a trusted friend and strategic partner, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

“The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership through enhanced cooperation in a wide range of areas including trade and investment, infrastructure development, defence and security, semiconductors, skilling, culture and people-to-people exchanges,” the MEA said.

Both leaders emphasised that India and Japan are indispensable partners for a peaceful, safe, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region and renewed their commitment to working together to achieve this goal, the statement said.

During his meeting with New Zealand counterpart Luxon, Prime Minister Modi discussed cooperation in sectors such as economic cooperation, tourism, education and innovation. It was the first meeting between the two leaders.

“Had an excellent meeting with the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Mr. Christopher Luxon. We value our friendship with New Zealand, bound together by a commitment to democracy, freedom and rule of law. Our talks covered sectors such as economic cooperation, tourism, education and innovation,” Modi said in a post on X.

His office said the two leaders discussed ways to deepen the India-New Zealand partnership in various sectors, including trade and investment, defence, education, agriculture, space tech, and more.

In a statement, the MEA said that the two Prime Ministers discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation across a range of areas, including trade and investment, defence and security, renewable energy, education, dairy, agri-tech, sports, tourism, space, and people-to-people ties.

Prime Minister Modi welcomed New Zealand’s decision to join the International Solar Alliance.

The two leaders renewed their commitment to further strengthen cooperation in the multilateral fora and reiterated their commitment to take the India-New Zealand relationship to greater heights.

Modi extended an invitation to Prime Minister Luxon to visit India on mutually convenient dates, which he accepted.

Modi also interacted with Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, President of the European Council Charles Michel, President Bongbong Marcos of Philippines and Executive chairman of the World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab.

10-Point Plan For ASEAN

He announced a 10-point plan to strengthen India-ASEAN comprehensive partnership and asserted that ties with the regional grouping were critical to guiding Asia’s future.

Addressing the 21st India-ASEAN Summit here, Modi noted that India-ASEAN trade had doubled to over USD 130 billion in the past decade and announced a review of the trade in goods agreement to harness the greater economic potential of the partnership.

“I believe that the 21st century – the Asian century – is the century of India and ASEAN nations,” the Prime Minister said while addressing the leaders of the ASEAN nations that include Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Vietnam, Laos and Singapore.

The Prime Minister said India was commemorating the 10th anniversary of its Act East Policy, which has given new energy, direction and momentum to the historic relationship between India and the ASEAN nations.

The 10-point plan to further strengthen the India-ASEAN partnership includes celebrating the year 2025 as the ASEAN-India Year of Tourism, doubling the number of scholarships at Nalanda University and providing new grants for ASEAN students at Agricultural Universities in India.

Prime Minister Modi also announced celebrating the decade of Act East Policy through several people-centric activities including Youth Summit, Start-up Festival, Hackathon, Music Festival, ASEAN-India Network of Think-Tanks and Delhi Dialogue.

Modi also announced organising the ASEAN-India Women Scientists Conclave under the ASEAN-India Science and Technology Development Fund.

He said India would make available USD five million for enhancing disaster resilience and also initiate a new Health Ministers’ track towards building Health Resilience.

The Prime Minister also announced initiating a regular mechanism of ASEAN-India Cyber Policy Dialogue towards strengthening digital and cyber resilience and organising a workshop on Green Hydrogen.

Modi also invited ASEAN leaders to join the ‘Plant a Tree for Mother’ campaign towards building climate resilience.

“India-ASEAN friendship, coordination dialogue and cooperation is very important at a time when several parts of the world are facing conflicts and tensions,” he said.

Prime Minister Modi said India and the ASEAN nations were neighbours, partners in the Global South, and a region that was witnessing rapid growth.

Modi arrived here in Laos on a two-day visit to attend the ASEAN-India and East Asia summits and further deepen engagement with countries in the groupings.

(with PTI inputs)