PM Narendra Modi attends ASEAN-India Summit at Jakarta in Indonesia

Jakarta: Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the ASEAN-India Summit at Jakarta in Indonesia today morning. Mr Modi will also attend East Asia Summit this morning. Prime Minister arrived in Jakarta in the wee hours today to attend the two summits. Mr Modi got a rousing welcome from the Indian diaspora in Indonesia.

In his remarks at the 20th ASEAN-India summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, India-ASEAN partnership has reached the fourth decade and it is an honour for him to co-chair the Summit. He congratulated Indonesian President Joko Widodo for organising the Summit. Mr Modi said, ASEAN is central pillar of India's Act East policy and ASEAN has an important place in India's Indo-Pacific initiative. He also called for amplifying the voice of the global south. 

The Prime Minister said, last year India-ASEAN friendship day was celebrated



and gave it a form of comprehensive strategic partnership.

 

 As the G20 summit follows shortly after the ASEAN Summits, it will be a short visit of the Prime Minister. The summit is special since it is the first one after the elevation of India-ASEAN relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership last year.

East Asia Summit is the foremost of the ASEAN-centered mechanisms in the Indo-Pacific. Since its inception in 2005, it has played a significant role in providing a platform for dialogue and discussion on matters of strategic importance to the region. At the East Asia Summit, Prime Minister and other leaders will discuss ways to further strengthen the East Asia Summit mechanism, as well as exchange views on matters of regional and international interest.