Modi at 21st ASEAN-India and East Asia Summits in Laos

 Keywords: ASEAN Summit, Laos, India, Indo-Pacific, Act East Policy, the 10-Point Plan

Date: 21st Oct 2024

At the recently concluded India-ASEAN summit in the Laotian capital of Vientiane, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said “I believe that the 21^st century – the Asian century – is the century of India and ASEAN nations.” This reflects New Delhi’s broader strategic goals in the backdrop of the larger Indo-Pacific framework. 

Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed India’s commitment to strengthening ties with ASEAN and underscored the importance of ASEAN unity and centrality. India and ASEAN adopted a joint statement on strengthening the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. 

Prime Minister Modi emphasized India’s civilizational and cultural ties with the ASEAN region and highlighted the shared ties enriched by Buddhism and Ramayana. In Laos, Modi also witnessed the national epic of the Lao people “Phalak Phalam,” the Laotian adaptation of Ramayana, known as “Phra Lak Phra Ram.” Prime Minister Modi described the cultural performance as a testament to the long-standing shared cultural traditions between Laos and India. 

Prime Minister Modi also participated in a Buddhist blessing ceremony organized by the Central Buddhist Fellowship Organization led by senior Buddhist Monks. Modi in his speech during the ceremony highlighted the necessity to preserve and promote such cultural legacy. Furthermore, Modi witnessed the exhibition that highlighted the restoration efforts led by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) at the UNESCO World Heritage site Vat Phou temple complex. 

ASEAN has emerged as India’s major strategic partner and a crucial pillar of New Delhi’s foreign policy in the past two to three decades. In 2022, ASEAN-India comprehensive strategic partnership was formalized. ASEAN has emerged as one of the key trade and investment partners of India with trade value between India and ASEAN doubled over the past decade to exceed USD 130 billion. 

In his address at the India-ASEAN Summit, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the necessity for timely completion of the revised ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITGA) in order to fully utilize the true economic potential between the two regions. Efforts to strengthen connectivity ties between the two have resulted in direct flight connectivity between seven ASEAN states and Indian cities, soon direct flight to Brunei would also be launched, further strengthening economic and people-to-people ties. 

A major highlight of the summit was the 10-point plan announced by Prime Minister Modi to strengthen India-ASEAN ties. These initiatives aim to reflect New Delhi’s focus on fostering deep cooperation across various sectors such as disaster management, trade, education, environmental sustainability, tourism and people-to-people connect. 

India and ASEAN have announced 2025 as the ASEAN-India Year of Tourism. India to contribute USD 5 million towards joint tourism-related activities. To mark a decade of the Act East Policy, a series of activities including youth summits, music festivals, hackathons, startup festivals and the ASEAN-India network of think-tanks to be organized. 

New Delhi also committed USD 5 million to ASEAN in strengthening disaster preparedness and resilience in the region. It is pertinent to note that Prime Minister of Lao PDR Siphandone thanked Prime Minister Modi for India’s flood relief assistance made during Typhoon Yagi. To address climate change and build climate resilience across the world, Prime Minister Modi also invited ASEAN leaders to actively participate in the ‘Plant a Tree for Mother’ campaign. 

It was announced that the number of scholarships awarded to ASEAN youths at Indian universities including Nalanda University would be doubled with special preference given to students in agriculture and science education. To strengthen the sustainable and clean energy collaboration between India and ASEAN, India would organize a workshop to promote green hydrogen. To set up an ASEAN-India Cyber Policy Dialogue to improve regional cooperation in digital security. 

At the East Asia Summit (EAS), Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed India’s commitment to a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific and highlighted several pressing issues that are affecting the Indo-Pacific region with a focus on promoting strategic trust and cooperation in the region. Prime Minister Modi engaged with various regional leaders on addressing the challenges to peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. 

It is also important to note that Prime Minister Modi’s visit also strengthened bilateral relations with Laos. To further boost developmental cooperation with Laos, three quick impact projects (QIPs) worth USD 50,000 each were introduced during Prime Minister Modi’s visit. 

The projects included the restoration of Wat Pakea Buddhist temple with Murals related to Ramayana; the preservation of the heritage of Lao Ramayan, through supporting puppetry theatre on Ramayan in Champasak Province; and USD 1 million grant assistance to improve nutrition security in Lao PDR, the first such project in Southeast Asia under the India UN Development Partnership Fund. 

India’s multidimensional approach towards strengthening its ties with the ASEAN region was underscored through several initiatives and announcements that included cultural exchanges, trade and economic ties, and environmental and digital cooperation. 

Through the visit of Prime Minister Modi, New Delhi has reaffirmed its role as a key player in promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the region. Prime Minister Modi’s participation at the 21^st ASEAN-India and EAS summits highlighted the progress made and the necessity to further deepen engagement between the two regions. 

Prasanna Kumar is pursuing his doctoral research from O.P. Jindal Global University.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above and the information available are those of the author/s and can therefore in no way be taken to reflect the position of Asian Confluence