The recently concluded 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits in Vientiane, Laos (October 8-11) brought together leaders from ASEAN countries and partners, emphasizing resilience and connectivity across key areas. With nearly 90 documents adopted, the summits focused on strengthening ASEAN’s role in the Indo-Pacific, addressing supply chain connectivity, sustainable agriculture, and climate change. New cooperation fields like digital economy and green transition were also highlighted.
The adoption of the ASEAN Vision Statement on the Indo-Pacific underscored ASEAN’s central role in regional security and cooperation. Declarations focused on enhancing supply chain resilience, biodiversity, and climate action. Vietnam’s delegation, led by PM Chinh, played a proactive role in promoting strategic connectivity and resilience for ASEAN’s future development phase.
Vietnam, in meetings with leaders from Laos and Cambodia, stressed cooperation in trade, transport, food security, and human resources. The emphasis on new fields, such as digital transformation, AI, and green energy, marks Vietnam’s role in ASEAN’s evolving dynamics, reinforcing trilateral cooperation to meet the region’s needs.
Marking 50 years of ASEAN-Australia relations, Australia announced over $500 million in initiatives, including a $2 billion investment facility and an infrastructure partnership. New programs, such as Landing Pads for tech startups and scholarships, deepen socio-cultural and economic ties, while climate cooperation and maritime capacity-building initiatives solidify long-term partnerships.
PM Modi’s Address: Focus on ASEAN Unity and Economic Growth
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated India’s strong support for ASEAN Unity, ASEAN Centrality, and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. He emphasized that the 21st century is the “Asian century” and stressed the importance of India-ASEAN relations in shaping Asia’s future. Key achievements in the last decade include the doubling of India-ASEAN trade to over USD 130 billion, direct flight connectivity with seven ASEAN nations, collaboration in fintech, and the restoration of shared cultural heritage. PM Modi also called for a timely review of the ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement (AITIGA) to unlock further economic potential.
10-Point Plan for Enhanced Connectivity and Resilience
PM Modi unveiled a 10-point plan aligned with the theme “Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience,” which includes:
Leaders agreed to develop a new ASEAN-India Plan of Action (2026-2030) to further their partnership. Two joint statements were adopted:
Sustainable Financing and Investment: Innovative financing mechanisms like public-private partnerships will be explored, with the ASEAN-India Fund for Digital Future supporting digital initiatives.
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