Jakarta:
Foreign Minister S Jaishankar described ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) as a crucial pillar of India’s Act East policy and said on Thursday it plays an important role in the emerging dynamics of the Indo-Pacific.
Speaking at the opening session of the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference in Jakarta on Thursday, the minister said: “ASEAN is a crucial pillar of India’s Act East policy and its vision for the wider Indo-Pacific. A strong and united ASEAN plays an important role in the emerging dynamics of the Indo-Pacific. India strongly supports ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN vision of the Indo-Pacific.”
The foreign minister is on a six-day visit to Indonesia and Thailand that began yesterday, and his overseas commitments in these two countries will culminate on July 18.
“As comprehensive strategic partners, we look forward to working with ASEAN to further expand our partnership into newer areas while strengthening existing partnerships. I am referring specifically to cyber, financial and maritime security domains,” said Mr. Jaishankar.
He also recalled how last year marked the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-India relations and was elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
And this was done with a host of activities, which focused on all aspects of our partnership, including the first meeting of the Foreign Minister in Delhi, an exchange of parliamentary delegations, an artist camp, a music festival, the first-ever Meeting of Defense Minister It concluded with ASEAN India’s first maritime exercise in May 2023,” said Jaishankar.
Earlier on Thursday, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Jakarta and discussed, among other things, the conflict in Ukraine.
The two ministers, who met on Thursday on the sidelines of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) events in Jakarta, also held talks on bilateral economic issues.
Jaishankar is in Jakarta for the meetings of foreign ministers under ASEAN format, ASEAN-India, East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum on July 13-14.
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