Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar arrived in Vientiane, Laos, to participate in the crucial ASEAN-mechanism meetings aimed at strengthening India's relations with Southeast Asian nations.
Jaishankar expressed optimism about advancing India's engagement with ASEAN countries, marking a significant milestone in the Act East Policy's decade-long journey.
Jaishankar will be in Vientiane, Lao PDR, from July 25 to 27 to take part in the Foreign Ministers' Meetings under the ASEAN framework in the format of the ASEAN-India, East Asia Summit (EAS), and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed in a press release earlier.
EAM Jaishankar is visiting Lao PDR at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Lao PDR, Saleumxay Kommasith. The visit underlines India's deep engagement with and the importance India attaches to the ASEAN-centred regional architecture, our strong commitment to ASEAN unity, ASEAN centrality, the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and taking forward the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. It is of particular significance that this year marks a decade of India's Act East Policy, which was announced by the Prime Minister at the 9th East Asia Summit in 2014, the Ministry of External Affairs also said.
The External Affairs Minister is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other countries in Vientiane, Lao PDR, on the margins of the ASEAN-related meetings.
ASEAN is a political and economic union of 10 countries in Southeast Asia. As the ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) continues to grow in strength, India, too remains a valued partner for the economic union.
(ANI)