India and ASEAN also exchanged views on important regional and international developments

Reviewing the status of their partnership, India and ASEAN on Thursday set out the path for the next decade.

The key focus areas were discussed at a Special ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (SAIFMM) in New Delhi to commemorate 30 years of ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Ministers' discussions included key focus areas of Covid-19 & Health, Trade & Commerce, Connectivity – physical and digital, Education & Capacity Building, as well as implementation of the ASEAN-India Joint Statement on Cooperation on the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).

The Ministers also exchanged views on important regional and international developments and post pandemic economic recovery. The meeting unanimously adopted the Co-Chairs’ Statement, the MEA said.

The SAIFMM was co-chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Singapore Vivian Balakrishnan. The meeting was also attended by Foreign Ministers of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and representatives of Foreign Ministers from Lao PDR, Philippines, and Thailand along with Secretary General of ASEAN.

According to the MEA, the meetings were held in an atmosphere of friendship and cooperation and underlined the importance India attaches to its relations with ASEAN, as exemplified through its Act East Policy and centrality of ASEAN in its vision for the wider Indo-Pacific.

During the day, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers and ASEAN Secretary General also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The ASEAN Foreign Ministers, ASEAN Secretary General and Representatives of Foreign Ministers along with EAM Jaishankar will also address the Ministerial Session of twelfth edition of Delhi Dialogue (DDXII) which focuses on 30 years of ASEAN-India relations with the theme ‘Building Bridges in the Indo-Pacific’.

Launched in 2009, Delhi Dialogue is India’s premier annual Track 1.5 Dialogue, which aims to strengthen ASEAN-India relations in the context of contemporary global and regional scenario.