Remarks by EAM, Dr. S. Jaishankar at the Opening Session of the ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

Thank you, Vivian for your warm wishes on my reappointment. I really look forward as well to working with all of you in the coming days.

Let me begin by expressing my appreciation to Singapore, and to Minister Vivian personally, for your role as Country Coordinator. To Minister Enrique Manalo, I look forward to working closely with you and your team as Philippines takes over as the next Country Coordinator.

I congratulate Lao PDR for the chairmanship of ASEAN and extend our fullest support for the successful Chairmanship. I also thank our colleague and Lao PDR for the warm welcome and hospitality.

The priority that India attaches to ASEAN and EAS platforms is evident from Prime Minister 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.

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. 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.

I welcome Minister Bendito Freitas of Timor-Leste as an Observer in this meeting, as well. Last year, Prime Minister Modi announced that we will open an Embassy in Dili. We are proceeding to do so very shortly and in fact will be undertaking high-level visits there as well.

I extend my deep appreciation to all of you for strengthening ASEAN-India relations through substantive and tangible cooperation identified under the ASEAN-India Plan of Action and its Annex.

I look forward to our discussions today.

Thank you, Mr. Co-Chair and Excellencies.