The 21st ASEAN-India Summit(10 October 2024) was held in Vientiane, Lao PDR.

The theme of the summit is “Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience”

Indian Prime Minister announced a 10-point plan

i) Celebrating the year 2025 as ASEAN and India Year of Tourism. India would make available USD 5 million towards joint activities;

ii) To celebrate a decade of Act East Policy through several people-centric activities. Youth Summit, Start-up Festival, Hackathon, Music Festival, Network of Think Tanks and Delhi Dialogue;

iii) To organize the ASEAN and India Women Scientists Conclave.  Under the ASEAN and India Science and Technology Development Fund;

iv) Doubling the number of scholarships at Nalanda University. Also, the provision of new scholarships for ASEAN students at Agricultural Universities in India;

v) Review of Indian-Asean Trade in Goods Agreement by 2025;

vi) Enhancing Disaster Resilience. India would make available USD 5 million;

vii) Initiate a new Health Ministers’ track towards building Health Resilience;

viii) Initiate a regular mechanism for the ASEAN-India Cyber Policy Dialogue. Objective to strengthen Digital and Cyber Resilience;

ix) Workshop on Green Hydrogen;

x) Invited ASEAN Leaders to join the ‘Plant a Tree for Mother’ campaign towards building climate resilience.

A joint statement on “advancing digital transformation”, which covered areas of digital public infrastructure, fintech, and cybersecurity among other themes

LEARNING FROM HOME/ WITHOUT CLASSES/BASICS

ASEAN-INDIA

The main focus of India’s Act East policy focuses on engagement not just with Southeast Asian countries but also those in the Pacific and on enhancing connectivity between India and South East Asia, through linkages between India’s northeastern region and countries like Thailand, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

The Asean-India Summit: Basics Explained