“India has stood firmly with its ASEAN friends in every disaster. Our cooperation in HADR, maritime security, and the blue economy is growing rapidly. In view of this, we are declaring 2026 as “ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation.”
AMN
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said the 21st century is the century of India and ASEAN. Addressing the ASEAN-India Summit virtually, which is being held in Malaysia, Mr Modi underlined that India and ASEAN together represent almost a quarter of the world’s population. He further stated that India and ASEAN do not just share geography, but are also connected by the thread of deep historical ties and shared values.
Mr Modi said even in this era of uncertainties, the India-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has witnessed sustained progress. He added that this strong partnership is emerging as a robust foundation for global stability and development.
Prime Minister also emphasised that India has stood firmly with its ASEAN friends in every disaster. He stated that cooperation in HADR, maritime security, and the blue economy is growing rapidly. He declared 2026 as the “ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation”.
He said, “ASEAN is the main pillar of India’s Act East Policy. India has always supported ASEAN Centrality and ASEAN’s outlook on the Indo-Pacific. During these times of uncertainty, the India-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has made steady progress, and our strong partnership is emerging as a powerful foundation for global stability and growth.”
The Prime Minister noted that the theme of this year’s ASEAN Summit, ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’, “clearly reflects in our shared efforts – be it digital inclusion or ensuring food security and resilient supply chains amid the current challenges.”
PM Modi congratulated Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on the successful hosting of the ASEAN Summit.
The Prime Minister thanked the Philippines President, Bongbong Marcos, for being the country coordinator for India and congratulated Timor-Leste for joining ASEAN.