I will be travelling to Bangkok tomorrow to participate in the 16th ASEAN-India Summit on November 3 and the 14th East Asia Summit and the 3rd Summit meeting of nations negotiating a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement on November 4.
During the visit, I will also hold bilateral meetings with a number of other World Leaders present at Bangkok for these and related Summit meetings.
The ASEAN-related Summits are an integral part of our diplomatic calendar, and an important element in our Act East Policy.
Our partnership with ASEAN is built around the key pillars of connectivity, capacity-building, commerce and culture. We had in January 2018 celebrated the 25th anniversary of our Dialogue Partnership with ASEAN in a special commemorative Summit in New Delhi, at which Leaders of all ten ASEAN States were honoured chief guests at our Republic Day.
I will be reviewing with ASEAN partners our cooperative activities, and examining plans for strengthening ASEAN and ASEAN-led mechanisms, enhancing connectivity (sea, land, air, digital and people-to-people), deepening economic partnerships, and expanding maritime cooperation.
The East Asia Summit (EAS) is today the leading element in the regional cooperative architecture, as a singular, Leaders-led structure that is centered around ASEAN, and includes as members major countries in the region or with important interests in it. We will be reviewing significant regional and global issues on the Agenda of the EAS, and examining the state of our current programmes and projects. I will also focus on our Indo-Pacific strategy, on which I am happy to note strong convergences with ASEAN partners and others at the EAS.
At the RCEP Summit, we will take stock of the progress in RCEP negotiations. We will consider all issues including whether India’s concerns and interests in trade in goods, services, and investments are being fully accommodated, during this Summit.
Other elements of my visit include participating in a Special Leaders luncheon event on November 4, organized by the Prime Minister of Thailand, as Chair of ASEAN, on sustainability.
I will also attend a reception organized by the Indian community in Thailand on November 2. People of Indian Origin, and Non-resident Indians have made significant contributions to Thailand and to the important relationship India shares with the Kingdom of Thailand.
