Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Laos for a two-day visit starting October 10 for the ASEAN-India Summit and 19th East Asia Summit. PM Modi will be in Vientiane on the invitation of Sonexay Siphandone, Prime Minister of Lao, the current chair of ASEAN.
“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 ASEAN-India Summit will review the progress of India-ASEAN relations through our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and chart the future direction of cooperation,” the external affairs ministry said in a statement, announcing Modi’s visit.
Laos Ramayana
For the Laos trip, Modi’s schedule is packed with summit-level talks, bilateral meetings, and cultural events. Upon arrival, he would be welcomed by senior Buddhist monks. During the two-day visit, PM Modi will engage with the Indian diaspora and will hold several bilateral meetings. He will also be participating in the special screening of Laos Ramayana.
Phra Pak Phra Ram is the national epic of the Lao people, an adaptation of the ancient Indian epic Ramayana. The introduction of the Phra Ram Xadok is attributed to the first king of Lan Xang, Chao Fa Ngoum. The Lao Ramayana, known as Phalak-Phalam or Phra Lak Phra Ram, is the Lao adaptation of the ancient epic Ramayana (or Ramakien, as it is popularly known in Southeast Asia).
Act East Policy
His visit comes as India marks a decade of Act East Policy this year. During this decade, the engagements between India and ASEAN have grown stronger in trade and investment, defence and security. This year also marks important anniversaries of the establishment of India’s diplomatic relations with several countries in the region – 75th with Indonesia, 75th with the Philippines, 60th with Singapore and 40th with Brunei.
In the first 100 days of his third term, PM Modi received the Prime Ministers of Vietnam, and Malaysia in New Delhi. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister visited Brunei and Singapore and had fruitful discussions with the leadership. Prime Minister’s visit to Brunei was the first ever bilateral visit to the country by an Indian Prime Minister. The President of India also travelled to Timor-Leste for the first-ever Head of State visit from India. Each of these visits witnessed the signing and exchange of several agreements and some significant announcements.
In a press statement released on Tuesday, MEA said the ASEAN-India Summit will review the progress of India-ASEAN relations through the 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, it added.
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