“Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience”: PM Modi unveils 10-point plan to boost ASEAN-India ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a 10-point plan to bolster the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Partnership at the 21st ASEAN-India Summit to enhance connectivity and resilience.

To commemorate a decade of the Act East Policy, PM Modi announced a series of people-centric initiatives, including a Youth Summit and Start-up Festival.

“The India-ASEAN Summit was a productive one. We discussed how to further strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and ASEAN. We look forward to deepening trade ties, cultural linkages and cooperation in technology, connectivity and other such sectors,” PM Modi posted on X.

PM Modi’s 10-point plan to strengthen the ASEAN-India partnership also involves doubling the number of scholarships at Nalanda University and invitation to ASEAN leaders to join ‘Plant a Tree for Mother’ campaign.

Notably, in keeping with the Chair’s theme of “Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience,” PM announced a 10-point plan, the Ministry of external Affairs said in a press release.

The 10-point plan includes — Celebrating the year 2025 as ASEAN-India Year of Tourism for which India would make available USD 5 million towards joint activities; to celebrate a decade of Act East Policy through several people centric activities including Youth Summit, Start-up Festival, Hackathon, Music Festival, ASEAN-India Network of Think Tanks and Delhi Dialogue; to organise ASEAN-India Women Scientists Conclave under ASEAN-India Science and Technology Development Fund; doubling the number of scholarships at Nalanda University and provision of new scholarships for ASEAN students at Agricultural Universities in India.

The plan also includes the review of ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement by 2025; enhancing Disaster Resilience for which India would make available USD 5 million; initiate a new Health Ministers’ track towards building Health Resilience; initiate a regular mechanism of ASEAN-India Cyber Policy Dialogue towards strengthening Digital and Cyber Resilience; workshop on Green Hydrogen; and invitation to ASEAN leaders to join ‘Plant a Tree for Mother’ campaign towards building climate resilience, the MEA stated.

Meanwhile, PM Modi also shared a post on his X about the 10-point peace plan and said, “Proposed ten suggestions which will further deepen India’s friendship with ASEAN.”

Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs also shared about PM Modi’s 10 Point Plan and said, “On the 10th day of the 10th month of the milestone year celebrating 10 years of Act East policy, PM @narendramodi announced a 10 Point Plan to strengthen ASEAN-India Comprehensive Partnership at the 21st ASEAN-India Summit.”

In another post, he said, “‘Enhancing connectivity and resilience’ together with the ASEAN family. PM @narendramodi participated in the 21st ASEAN-India Summit in Vientiane, Lao PDR, today.”

“In the 10th year of the Act East Policy, PM announced a 10-point plan to strengthen connectivity and resilience based on the theme of ASEAN Chair 2024, including physical, digital, cultural and spiritual connectivity towards achieving cyber, disaster, supply chain, health and climate resilience. PM reiterated India’s support for ASEAN Unity, ASEAN Centrality and ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific,” the post added.

Notably, the 21st ASEAN-India Summit was held in Vientiane, Lao PDR, on October 10. Marking a decade of India’s Act East Policy, PM Modi joined ASEAN leaders to review the progress of ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and chart the future direction of cooperation. This was PM’s 11th participation in the Summit.

In his address, PM Modi reiterated India’s support for ASEAN Unity, ASEAN Centrality and ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. Calling the 21st century as the Asian century, he noted that India-ASEAN ties were critical to guiding Asia’s future.

Emphasising the vibrancy of India’s Act East Policy, PM noted that in the last ten years India-ASEAN trade had doubled to over USD 130 billion.

“ASEAN is today one of India’s largest trade and investment partners; direct flight connectivity established with seven ASEAN countries; promising beginning made with Fin-tech collaboration with the region; and significant progress made in restoration of shared cultural heritage in five ASEAN countries,” the MEA said in the release.

PM Modi also underlined the need to complete the review of ASEAN-India FTA (AITIGA) in a time bound manner towards harnessing greater economic potential for the benefit of the ASEAN-India community. He also spoke about the progress in India-ASEAN knowledge partnership through the scholarships provided to ASEAN youth at the Nalanda University.