ASEAN-India Summit: Beginning on October 10, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will go to Laos for a two-day stay in preparation for the 19th East Asia Summit and the ASEAN-India Summit. On invitation from Sonexay Siphandone, the prime minister of Lao, who is now serving as ASEAN chair, PM Modi will be in Vientiane.
This year, India is commemorating ten years of the Act East Policy. A key component of the Act East Policy and our Indo-Pacific vision is our relationship with ASEAN. The External Affairs Ministry announced Modi’s visit in a statement. “The ASEAN-India Summit will review the progress of India-ASEAN relations through our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and chart the future direction of cooperation.”
Modi’s itinerary for his visit to Laos is jam-packed with summit-level discussions, bilateral meetings, and cultural activities. Senior Buddhist monks would greet him when he arrived. PM Modi will interact with the Indian diaspora and have many bilateral talks throughout the course of the two-day tour. He’ll also be taking part in the Laos Ramayana special showing.
The Lao people’s national epic, Phra Pak Phra Ram, is a translation of the ancient Indian epic Ramayana. Chao Fa Ngoum, the first king of Lan Xang, is credited with introducing the Phra Ram Xadok. The ancient epic Ramayana, also known as Ramakien in Southeast Asia, is adapted into Lao language and is known as Phalak-Phalam or Phra Lak Phra Ram.
This year celebrates ten years of the Act East Policy in India, coinciding with his visit. The commercial, business, and security ties between India and ASEAN have strengthened during the last ten years. The 75th anniversary of India’s diplomatic ties with Indonesia, the 75th anniversary with the Philippines, the 60th anniversary with Singapore, and the 40th anniversary with Brunei are all significant anniversaries this year.
The prime ministers of Malaysia and Vietnam met with PM Modi in New Delhi during the first 100 days of his third term. In the meanwhile, the prime minister met with the leaders on visits to Brunei and Singapore. The Indian prime minister’s trip to Brunei was his first-ever bilateral visit to the nation. Additionally, the Indian President made the first-ever visit of a Head of State from India to Timor-Leste. During each of these trips, several agreements were signed, agreements were exchanged, and some important announcements were made.
The MEA said in a press statement on Tuesday that the ASEAN-India Summit would assess the development of India-ASEAN ties under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and determine the course of future collaboration. The East Asia Summit offers leaders of EAS Participating Countries, including India, a chance to share perspectives on matters of regional significance. It is a top leaders-led platform that helps to create an atmosphere of strategic trust in the area, it said.
