ASEAN, India reaffirm commitment to strengthening cooperation

9-June-2017

Source:  ASEAN Secretariat News

ASEAN, India reaffirm commitment to strengthening cooperation

JAKARTA, 9 June 2017 – ASEAN and India, celebrating the 25th anniversary of their partnership this year, agreed to redouble efforts to take their relations to a greater height.

ASEAN and India are commemorating the 25th anniversary of the ASEAN-India dialogue relations with a number of celebratory activities and projects. Most notable is the planned convening of an ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit in January 2018 in New Delhi, on the occasion of the Republic Day of India, during which the Leaders of ASEAN will be invited as the Guests of Honour at the celebration.

Meeting at the annual ASEAN-India Joint Cooperation Committee at the ASEAN Secretariat yesterday, the Permanent Representatives of ASEAN Member States and the Indian Ambassador to ASEAN reaffirmed their strong desire to forge an enduring partnership for mutual benefit.

They exchanged views on how to intensify ASEAN-India cooperation, particularly through the implementation of the ASEAN-India Plan of Action (POA). Both sides noted with satisfaction that after about one and a half years of implementation, more than half of the 130 measures and action lines listed in the POA for the period of 2016-2020 have been addressed.

Noting the good progress made in the implementation of the POA as well as the priorities for immediate term (2016-2018), both sides agreed to continue working towards the full and effective implementation of the various activities to further substantiate the ASEAN-India Strategic Partnership and contribute to ASEAN Community building efforts.

In pursuing strengthened ASEAN-India Strategic Partnership, India reiterated its strong support to the principle of the ASEAN Centrality in the evolving regional architecture, and reaffirmed its commitment and active contribution to the various ASEAN-led regional mechanisms.

On economic cooperation, both sides agreed to further promote ASEAN-India trade and investment towards achieving the set target of at least US$ 200 billion in two-way trade by 2022. They attached great importance to the early conclusion of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement so that all participating countries could benefit from the vast economic opportunities that this trade pact would bring. Enhancing cooperation on connectivity was also deliberated so as to strengthen economic links between South and Southeast Asia.

On socio-cultural cooperation, both sides agreed to continue promoting people-to-people contacts, particularly through a number of exchange programmes involving students and media.

The meeting was co-chaired by H.E. Nguyen Hoanh Nam, Permanent Representative of Viet Nam to ASEAN and H.E. Suresh K. Reddy, Ambassador of India to ASEAN. The Meeting was attended by the Permanent Representatives of ASEAN Member States and their representatives and the ASEAN Secretariat. Mr. Anurag Bhushan, Joint Secretary for ASEAN Affairs at India’s Ministry of External Affairs also attended the Meeting.

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