‘21st century belongs to India and ASEAN’: PM Modi declares shared vision at 22nd Summit
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed the deep-rooted partnership between India and ASEAN, declaring that the 21st century belongs to India and ASEAN nations, during his virtual address to the 22nd ASEAN-India Summit held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Sunday.
Congratulating Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for successfully hosting the 47th ASEAN Summit and acknowledging the Philippines for serving as India’s coordinator, Modi welcomed East Timor as the 11th member of ASEAN and extended condolences on the passing of Thailand’s Queen Mother Sirikit.
Highlighting the shared cultural and civilizational heritage between India and ASEAN, the Prime Minister said, “India and ASEAN together represent nearly one-fourth of the world’s population. We do not just share geography, but are connected by common values, history, and aspirations.” He reiterated that ASEAN remains a major pillar of India’s Act East Policy, central to achieving peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
He underlined that in an era of global uncertainty, the India-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) continues to move forward steadily, becoming a foundation for regional growth and global stability. “The 21st century is our century — the century of India and ASEAN,” Modi declared, emphasising their joint role as leading voices of the Global South.
Modi reaffirmed India’s full support for ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), stressing that strong regional cooperation is vital to ensure stability across Asia. “ASEAN is not just part of our foreign policy but the cornerstone of India’s Act East vision,” he said.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will represent Modi at the upcoming 20th East Asia Summit on October 27, also held in Kuala Lumpur, where discussions will centre on Indo-Pacific security, regional stability, and global developments.
The Prime Minister recalled India’s long-standing engagement with ASEAN, which began in 1992 as a Sectoral Dialogue Partner, elevated to Dialogue Partner in 1995, and later upgraded to the Summit level in 2002. Over three decades, the relationship has evolved into a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, established formally during the 19th ASEAN-India Summit in 2022.
Modi’s message also evoked India’s historic commitment to ASEAN cooperation, including the 2018 Commemorative Summit in New Delhi, where all 10 ASEAN leaders attended India’s Republic Day Parade as Guests of Honour.
The ASEAN bloc, formed on August 8, 1967, now comprises 11 nations — Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam, and Timor-Leste. Malaysia holds the ASEAN chair for 2025, with the Philippines set to take over in 2026.
Modi concluded that India-ASEAN relations, built on shared commitment and cooperation, “will define the contours of development and peace in Asia in the years ahead.”
With inputs from ANI