ASEAN summit: Narendra Modi pitches for convergence of strategy to make sure free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific
Within the summit, Modi introduced a contribution of $1 million to COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund and confused on leveraging sturdy ties between the 2 sides within the battle in opposition to the pandemic
File picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PTI
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday pitched for convergence of strategy between India and the 10-nation ASEAN in making certain a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific, a area that has witnessed renewed international focus in view of China’s expansionist behaviour.
At a digital summit, India and the ASEAN additionally deliberated on the scenario within the South China Sea and affirmed the significance of sustaining and selling peace, stability, security and safety within the area moreover making certain freedom of navigation and overflight, the Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA) stated.
The summit additionally welcomed the adoption of a brand new ASEAN-India Plan of Motion for 2021-2025 to spice up general cooperation in numerous areas. Within the summit, Modi introduced a contribution of $1 million to COVID-19
ASEAN Response Fund and confused on leveraging sturdy ties between the 2 sides within the battle in opposition to the pandemic.
Within the earlier ASEAN-India summit in Bangkok final yr, Modi had proposed a brand new framework referred to as ‘Indo-Pacific Ocean’s Initiative’ to create a secure and safe maritime area within the Indo-Pacific, indicating India’s readiness to play an even bigger position within the area.
In his deal with, Modi additionally underscored the significance of higher bodily and digital connectivity between ASEAN and India and re-iterated India’s provide of $1 billion Line of Credit score to help ASEAN connectivity, Riva Ganguly Das, Secretary (East) within the MEA, stated at a web-based media briefing concerning the summit.
The summit happened amid China’s aggressive behaviour within the disputed South China Sea, Indo-Pacific area in addition to in jap Ladakh. A variety of ASEAN nations have territorial disputes with China within the South China Sea. The secretary stated the discussions additionally coated regional and worldwide problems with frequent curiosity and concern together with the South China Sea and terrorism.
“Each side famous the significance of selling a rules-based order within the area together with by upholding adherence to worldwide regulation, particularly the UNCLOS (United Nations Conference on the Legislation of the Sea).
“The leaders affirmed the significance of sustaining and selling peace, stability, security and safety within the South China Sea particularly freedom of navigation and overflight,” she stated.
“There may be ample closeness between India’s ‘Indo Pacific Oceans Initiative’ and ASEAN’s ‘Outlook on Indo Pacific’. We firmly consider {that a} cohesive and responsive ASEAN is important for safety and development for all within the area,” Modi stated in his opening remarks.
“Rushing up all kinds of connectivity initiatives between India and ASEAN – bodily, financial, social, digital, monetary, maritime – is the highest precedence for us.
“We have now come very shut in all these areas in the previous few years,” he stated.
The Affiliation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is taken into account one of the crucial influential groupings within the area, and India and several other different nations together with the US, China, Japan and Australia are its dialogue companions.
The ties between India and ASEAN have been on an upswing in the previous few years with the main target being on ramping up cooperation within the areas of commerce and funding in addition to safety and defence. In his deal with, Modi stated the ASEAN Group is the core of India’s Act East Coverage for the reason that very starting.
Das stated Modi famous {that a} cohesive, responsive and affluent ASEAN is central to India’s Indo-Pacific Imaginative and prescient and contributes to ‘Safety And Development for All within the Area (SAGAR)’.
“The Prime Minister underscored the significance of strengthening convergence between India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative and ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific to make sure a free, open, inclusive, and rules-based Indo-Pacific area. He invited the ASEAN nations to take the lead on numerous pillars of our Oceans Initiative,” she stated.
On commerce and funding, she stated the overview of the ASEAN-India commerce in items settlement has been lengthy pending and added that Modi referred to as for an early overview of the pact. Das stated the prime minister underlined the significance of diversification and resilience of provide chains for post-COVID financial restoration. On the strategy by the ASEAN leaders on Indo-Pacific, she stated in addition they underlined the convergence between ‘ASEAN Outlook’ and India’s strategy.
“General it was a fruitful change with ASEAN leaders and the summit was profitable in bringing out the convergence between the 2 sides,” the official stated.
She stated ASEAN-India strategic partnership stands on a powerful basis of shared geographical, historic and civilisational ties.
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