EAM Jaishankar receives ASEAN delegation, says “comprehensive strategic partnership will grow from strength to strength”

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday met ASEAN Senior Officials in the national capital and expressed confidence that the ASEAN-India comprehensive strategic partnership will grow from strength to strength.

EAM Jaishankar stressed that the ASEAN-India meetings are a “significant feature of India’s diplomatic calendar.”

“Delighted to receive ASEAN Senior Officials in New Delhi this afternoon. Glad to be apprised of the progress in our cooperation The ASEAN-India meetings are a significant feature of India’s diplomatic calendar. Confident that our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will grow from strength to strength,” Jaishankar stated on X (formerly Twitter).

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is an inter-governmental international organisation, including Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, Thailand, Myanmar, the Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore and Malaysia

“The delegation of Senior Officials’ from ASEAN, Timor-Leste and the ASEAN Secretariat jointly called on S Jaishankar on Friday. While underlining that ASEAN is a crucial pillar of India’s Act East Policy and its vision for the wider Indo-Pacific, EAM encouraged the delegation to focus on subjects of critical importance and specific outcomes, including early completion of review of ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) and regional issues of mutual interest,” the MEA said in a statement.

Last month, batting for enhanced cooperation between India and the ASEAN countries, Jaishankar highlighted that the two sides, through greater collaboration, can play a major role in the emerging regional architecture of the Indo-Pacific.

“We support ASEAN unity, ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN outlook on Indo-Pacific. India truly believes that a strong and unified ASEAN can play a constructive role in the emerging regional architecture of the Indo-Pacific,” EAM Jaishankar said in a virtual address at the first ASEAN Future Forum.

“The synergy between India’s Indo Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) and the ASEAN outlook on Indo Pacific (AOIP) that is reflected in our ASEAN India leaders joint statement provides a strong framework for cooperation, including and addressing challenges to comprehensive security,” he added.

Notably, India actively participates in various ‘ASEAN-led frameworks’. In particular, India regularly participates in the meetings of the East Asia Summit (EAS), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting+ (ADMM+) and the Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum (EAMF) meetings and its supporting processes.