New Delhi:Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in India after his “very short but fruitful” visit to Indonesia where he attended the 20th ASEAN-India and 18th East Asia Summits. At the ASEAN-India Summit, the Prime Minister held extensive discussions with ASEAN partners on strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and charting its future course.
He reaffirmed ASEAN's centrality in the Indo-Pacific and highlighted the synergies between India's Indo-Pacific Ocean's Initiative (IPOI) and ASEAN’s Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). He also emphasized the need to complete the review of the ASEAN-India FTA (AITIGA) in a time-bound manner. Prime Minister presented a 12-point proposal for strengthening India – ASEAN cooperation covering connectivity, digital transformation, trade and economic engagement, addressing contemporary challenges, people-to-people contacts and deepening strategic engagement.