Shri Anurag Srivastava, Official Spokesperson: Friends! Namaskar and good evening. Welcome to the special briefing following the 17th ASEAN-India Summit, which has just concluded. We have with us Secretary (East) in
the Ministry, Smt. Riva Ganguly Das, Secretary (East) who's joined by Additional Secretary (Indo-Pacific), Smt. Reenat Sandhu. May I invite Secretary to make her opening remarks, following which we will take your questions. Over to you Ma'am.
Smt Riva Ganguly Das, Secretary (East): Good evening Friends. Today, Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, participated in the 17th ASEAN-India Summit at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyen Xuan Phuc. Vietnam
is the current Chair of ASEAN. The Summit, which saw the participation of Leaders of all ten ASEAN Member States, was held online.
ASEAN-India engagement has evolved over the years into a deep, robust and multi-faceted partnership. ASEAN and India became Summit-level partners in 2002, and Strategic partners in 2012. The breadth of our partnership is covered by several Dialogue Mechanisms
cutting across various sectors like defense, cyber security, counter terrorism, commerce, telecommunications, agriculture, energy, environmental issues, tourism, etc.
As you all know, the annual ASEAN-India Summits provide the opportunity for India and ASEAN to engage at the highest level. The 17th ASEAN-India Summit is the eighth Summit attended by Prime Minister Modi. He attended the 16th ASEAN-India Summit in Bangkok
in November last year.
Speaking at today's Summit, Prime Minister underlined the centrality of ASEAN in India's Act East Policy, which is a key pillar of our foreign policy. He noted that a cohesive, responsive and prosperous ASEAN is central to India's Indo-Pacific Vision and contributes
to Security And Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).
Prime Minister underscored the importance of strengthening convergence between India's Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative and ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific to ensure a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific region. He invited the ASEAN countries to
take the lead on various pillars of our Oceans Initiative.
On COVID-19, the Prime Minister stressed on leveraging strong ASEAN-India ties in the fight against the pandemic. He welcomed ASEAN's initiatives to fight the pandemic and announced a contribution of USD 1 million to COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund. He underlined
the importance of cooperation and regular exchanges in the field of traditional medicines as a source of healthy and holistic living.
Prime Minister underscored the importance of greater physical and digital connectivity between ASEAN and India and re-iterated India's offer of USD 1 billion Line of Credit to support ASEAN connectivity. On digital connectivity, he noted the organisation of
the ASEAN-India Hackathon.
On trade and investment, the review of ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) has been long pending. Prime Minister called for an early review of the Agreement. He underlined the importance of diversification and resilience of supply chains for post-COVID
economic recovery.
On their part, the ASEAN leaders spoke of India as a long term friend and dynamic partner. They acknowledged India’s contribution in the region towards promoting peace and stability and welcomed India’s support to ASEAN centrality. India's capacity building
initiatives including the PhD Fellowship Programme at IITs and setting up of Centres for Excellence in Software Development and Training in CLMV countries were appreciated.
ASEAN leaders welcomed India’s role in enhancing digital and physical connectivity in the region. In this context the report by Jakarta-based think tank Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) on east-ward extension of the India-Myanmar-Thailand
Trilateral Highway was noted as an important step in enhancing connectivity in the region.
ASEAN Leaders also underlined the convergence between ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative. The Leaders welcomed the adoption of the new ASEAN-India Plan of Action for 2021-2025.
The discussions also covered regional and international issues of common interest and concern including South China Sea and Terrorism. Both sides noted the importance of promoting a rules-based order in the region including through upholding adherence to international
law, especially the UNCLOS. The leaders affirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, stability, safety and security in the South China Sea in particular freedom of navigation and overflight.
Overall it was a fruitful exchange with ASEAN Leaders and the Summit was successful in bringing out the convergence between the two sides. ASEAN-India Strategic Partnership stands on a strong foundation of shared geographical, historical and civilisational
ties. The Summit will further strengthen this relationship.
Shri Anurag Srivastava, Official Spokesperson: Thank you, Ma'am. Moving on to questions that we've received. We have received a set of questions. We have clubbed it together as per themes. The first set of questions are
on Indo-Pacific. Suman Sharma wants to know - "with so many nations coming out with their individual Indo-Pacific policy, Germany and France have taken the lead in EU, but India has always supported ASEAN centrality in the region. So will there be a combined
Indo-Pacific initiative by ASEAN-India, taking other small groupings together under an umbrella grouping combining other nations into it also?" Ranjit Kumar from Rakshak News says - "India and ASEAN have similar visions on Indo-Pacific. Have the two sides
discussed new measures to deepen maritime cooperation in Indo-Pacific region?" Nainima from The Print - "is the ASEAN region willing to have its own Indo-Pacific strategy, as that would mean alienating China?" Ma'am would you like to respond to this first
set of questions?
Smt Riva Ganguly Das, Secretary (East): Yeah sure. As this subject is already been covered in the opening statement that I made. India and ASEAN share vast maritime space of the Indo-Pacific and ASEAN is at the center of
this maritime space. There is great convergence and synergy between our visions of Indo-Pacific as articulated in ASEAN outlook for Indo-Pacific and in our Indo-Pacific Oceans initiative. We seek to build on this convergence for maintaining peace, security
and sustainable development of the ASEAN Indo-Pacific and ensuring security and growth for all in the region.
Shri Anurag Srivastava, Official Spokesperson: The second set of questions are on the regional comprehensive economic partnership. Taukeer from Yomiuri Shimbun - "15 countries in the RCEP agreed to sign the long-awaited
trade deal at a Summit on Sunday. Reports say, many countries have approached India to reconsider its decision and join RCEP. Will India return to RCEP in the near future?" Devirupa from The Wire - "have ASEAN and Indian officials started the scoping exercise
that is supposed to kick start the review process for the FTA on goods? Will the actual review begin before the end of this year, as India's requested?" Sandeep Dikshit from the Tribune - "are there plans to engage RCEP partners in view of their plans to ink
the pact on Sunday?" Manisha Jha from Business World - "RCEP was discussed and expected to sign in the ASEAN Summit, was there any message from India on RCEP? Has India officially withdrawn from any dialogue from RCEP?" Ma'am would you like to respond to these?
Smt Riva Ganguly Das, Secretary (East): Yeah. On RCEP, our position is well known. As far as India is concerned, we did not join RCEP as it does not address the outstanding issues and concerns of India. However, we remain
committed to deepening our trade relations with ASEAN.
Shri Anurag Srivastava, Official Spokesperson: Then we have a set of questions on supply chain. Sidhant from WION wants to know - "how keen ASEAN is for alternate resilient supply chains?" Shankar from India versus Disinformation
- "does India consider ASEAN as a part of to-be formed supply chain mechanism? During the ASEAN-India virtual meet, whether issues related to defence and strategy were discussed? Please let us know."
Smt Riva Ganguly Das, Secretary (East): The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the vulnerability of existing supply chains. It has made supply chain resilience and agenda of global focus, including that of ASEAN. Our response
to this is reflected in the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat as articulated by the Honorable Prime Minister. It envisages making India an integral part of the global supply chains, as well as promotion of international trade and commerce. Similarly, ASEAN has
also released the ASEAN comprehensive recovery framework to enhance collaboration in addressing the unprecedented challenges brought about by COVID-19. In keeping with this, diversification and resilience of supply chains was also a topic of discussion during
ASEAN-India Summit today and the leaders agreed to strengthen India-ASEAN trade ties and work together for post Covid economic recovery.
Shri Anurag Srivastava, Official Spokesperson:
Then Ma'am, there is a question from Sidhant from WION - "how much Chinese aggressiveness was part of the conversation? Both India and Vietnam, which is the host of ASEAN, have been impacted by it?" I'll take another related question from Manish Jha from Business
World - "did any discussion take place in relation to South China sea, on the sanctity of UNCLOS, in the wake of frequent skirmishes mostly initiated by China.
Smt Riva Ganguly Das, Secretary (East): Well all regional and international issues of common interest and concern were discussed at the Summit today, including the South China Sea. Both India and ASEAN agreed on the importance
of maintaining and promoting peace, security and stability in the South China Sea. They reaffirmed the importance of upholding international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, while ensuring freedom of navigation in and over flight above the South China Sea and
ensuring unimpeded lawful commerce.
Shri Anurag Srivastava, Official Spokesperson:
There's another question from Sidhant from WION - "anything on the renovation of common cultural heritage. He says India has been helping in the preservation of pagoda in several parts of the region." So his question is on what steps we've taken for innovation
of common cultural heritage.
Smt Riva Ganguly Das, Secretary (East): Well, as you know India-ASEAN region, enjoy a very long and historical cultural connect with each other. We indeed have civilizational links with each other. ASEAN region has several
archaeological sites of great significance to both regions. India has been engaged in the restoration and preservation of numerous such heritage sites in ASEAN countries, especially in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Vietnam and Myanmar, for which there has been very wide
appreciation within the community.
Shri Anurag Srivastava, Official Spokesperson:
There's a question from Gautam Lahiri - "whether the present status of India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway was reviewed during the Summit?"
Smt Riva Ganguly Das, Secretary (East): As I mentioned in my opening statement, enhancing greater connectivity between India and ASEAN is one of the important pillars of India-ASEAN relation. We envision connectivity with
the region in very broad terms, including physical, economic, political and digital connectivity. In this context, the leaders did discuss the strengthening of physical connectivity between the two road regions and noted the study that I mentioned in the opening
statement on the eastward extension of the trilateral highway to Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Vietnam, which was done by Jakarta based think tank, Economic and Research Institute for ASEAN (ERIA). The ERIA's report which was noted at the Summit is being examined
for implementation.
Shri Anurag Srivastava, Official Spokesperson:
I don't see any further questions. So thank you ma'am. Thank you for joining us and this concludes the special briefing. We will resume very shortly with our weekly briefing. Thank you.
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