ASEAN

November 20, 2024 12:42 PM

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to meet Chinese counterpart in Laos on Wednesday

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will meet his Chinese counterpart, General Li Shangfu, on Wednesday in Vientiane, Laos. The two will meet on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus). This will be their first meeting after the disengagement at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The last meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Chinese counterpart was in April 2023 in India, when then-Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu visited Delhi for the SCO Defence ...

October 13, 2024 2:10 PM

ASEAN urges early accord on South China Sea code, end to Myanmar violence

Southeast Asian leaders called on Sunday for swift agreement on a code of conduct for the South China Sea based on international law, while demanding an immediate halt to fighting in Myanmar and inclusive peace talks to end its civil war. The ASEAN chairman's statement represents the consensus from meetings ended on Friday of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Laos, which included diplomats from the United States, Russia, China, Japan, India and South Korea. Confrontations...

October 10, 2024 6:07 PM

“21st century is century of India, ASEAN countries”: PM Modi at ASEAN-India summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday stated that the 21st century is the century of India and ASEAN countries highlighting that in the last decade India's Act-East policy had provided a "new energy, direction and momentum" to the historic relations between India and ASEAN nations. He said that during a time of conflict and tension that has surrounded many parts of the world, the friendship, cooperation, dialogue and cooperation of India and ASEAN were very important. Addressing the 21...

October 10, 2024 11:51 AM

Act East policy transforms India’s engagements with ASEAN and Indo-Pacific: Indian envoy Prashant Agarwal

Indian Ambassador to Lao PDR, Prashant Agrawal, on Thursday, said that the Act East policy has brought about a transformational change in India's engagement not only with ASEAN countries but also with the wider Indo-Pacific region. PM Modi is scheduled to visit Lao PDR at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Lao PDR to participate in the 21st ASEAN-India Summit and the 19th East Asia Summit later this year. "Our participation is especially remarkable because we are marking ten years of our ...

October 9, 2024 2:30 PM

ASEAN holds summit in Laos as Thailand floats new plan for Myanmar crisis

Southeast Asian leaders met in Laos on Wednesday for a summit expected to find ways of tackling a worsening civil war in Myanmar, with Thailand set to propose a new path for a political solution after a regional peace effort made scant progress. Chaos has prevailed in Myanmar since a 2021 military coup sparked a nationwide rebellion and a civil war that has ravaged the nation of 55 million. Thailand offered this week to host an "informal consultation" of the 10 members of the Association of So...

October 8, 2024 3:16 PM

Prime Minister Modi set to visit Vientiane for ASEAN-India and East Asia summits

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic, on October 10-11, 2024, at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Laos, Sonexay Siphandone, as per a press release from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). During his visit, Prime Minister Modi will participate in the 21st ASEAN-India Summit and the 19th East Asia Summit, which are being hosted by Laos as the current Chair of ASEAN. PM Modi's visit to Laos coincides with the 10th anniversary of India'...

October 8, 2024 12:17 PM

Myanmar and South China Sea to test ASEAN relevance in upcoming summit

Southeast Asian leaders will meet in Laos this week as Myanmar's civil war and mounting tensions in the South China Sea risk corroding the ASEAN grouping's central role in the region. The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has, since it was founded in 1967, created complex political structures and processes that have largely enabled peaceful cooperation within the region of over 685 million people. But its inability to address difficult issues in a timely way may reflect ...

September 16, 2024 3:30 PM

India and Brunei enhance bilateral ties during PM Modi’s historic visit

India and Brunei agreed to deepen cooperation in defence, space, and people-to-people relations during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the Southeast Asian nation, the first-ever by an Indian prime minister. The visit, which coincided with the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, marked a significant step in strengthening their bilateral relationship. PM Modi and Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah held a bilateral meeting where they discussed a wide range of...

September 16, 2024 3:31 PM

PM Modi’s visit to elevate India-Singapore ties: Indian envoy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to Singapore is expected to usher in a new era of bilateral relations, according to Indian High Commissioner to Singapore, Shilpak Ambule. Ambule emphasized the significance of the visit, occurring early in both PM Modi's third tenure and Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's term. "This visit provides an excellent opportunity to elevate our relationship to unprecedented heights," Ambule said. The envoy highlighted that the recent India-Singap...

September 16, 2024 3:31 PM

Maritime security to feature in talks with Singapore, says MEA ahead of PM Modi’s visit

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to Singapore, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said that discussions on maritime security will be a key agenda item during the talks with Singaporean leadership. "On maritime security and safety, of course, you know India's position on the South China Sea. In the case of Singapore as well, it is important for them to maintain sea lines of communication that are safe, secure, and free," said Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary East at the ...