New Delhi: For India, ASEAN is the cornerstone of its Act East Policy and the Indo-Pacific vision that was thereafter built on it, says External Affairs Minister Dr Jaishankar on Friday. In his remarks at the opening session of the ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, Dr Jaishankar said, "The priority that India attaches to ASEAN and EAS platforms is evident from Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting Jakarta last year on the very eve of our own G20 Summit. He had announced a 12-point plan that has been largely acted upon."
He said, "For India, ASEAN is the cornerstone of its Act East Policy and the Indo-Pacific vision that was thereafter built on it. For us, political, economic and security cooperation with ASEAN is of the utmost priority. So, too, are people-to-people linkages, that we are constantly seeking to expand," he said.
"It is encouraging to note that our partnership acquires ever more dimensions with each passing year. While our achievements are substantial, our ambitions must always remain high," he added. "Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that we will open an Embassy in Dili. We are proceeding to do so very soon and in fact, will be undertaking high-level visits there as well," he said.
He congratulated Lao PDR for the chairmanship of ASEAN and extended India's fullest support for the successful Chairmanship. Jaishankar’s visit to Laos is of utmost significance as this year marks a decade of India's Act East Policy, which was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 9th East Asia Summit in 2014, the Ministry of External Affairs said in New Delhi ahead of his visit.