India and ASEAN agreed yesterday, September 12, on a plan of action for the next five years. The two sides have shifted the focus of their cooperation to strengthening economic and trade cooperation, maritime security, combating terrorism, and unity in addressing common challenges. The new plan will move ASEAN and India toward the formation of an economic community by 2025.
Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, who chairs ASEAN, and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar co-chaired the final day of the 53rd ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting on Sept. 12, according to Vietnam News Agency (VNA)’s Le Courrier du Vietnam. ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers Video Conference. The meeting reviewed the strategic partnership between ASEAN and India, including maritime cooperation, connectivity, education, capacity enhancement and people-to-people exchanges between the two sides.
In accordance with the ASEAN-India Joint Foreign Ministers’ Statement, the Foreign Ministers assessed the progress and implementation of their respective action plans for 2016-2020, reviewed preparations for the 17th ASEAN-India Summit, and looked ahead to the implementation of key decisions taken by the two leaders since the 16th ASEAN-India Summit in Bangkok last November.
In addition, the India-ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting also approved the ASEAN-India Joint Plan of Action for 2021-2025. According to The Hindustan Times, India’s largest-circulation English-language newspaper, the focus of India’s next action plan with ASEAN will shift to strengthening economic and trade cooperation, maritime security, and combating terrorism. These actions will move ASEAN and India towards forming a community of economic integration in 2025.
In addition, India’s cooperative actions with ASEAN in the next five years will include uniting to address common challenges and strengthening cooperation in international forums.
The ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers Meeting also discussed measures to strengthen the fight against the Covide-19 pandemic and exchanged views on developments of regional and world importance.
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