New Delhi: Setting the tone for a more connected, resilient and sustainable Indo-Pacific region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations outlined the way forward for a deeper and more comprehensive partnership at the 22nd ASEAN-India Summit, held virtually under the chairmanship of Malaysia.
The discussions, centred on the theme ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’, reaffirmed a shared vision for peace, prosperity and strategic balance in the region. The leaders jointly reviewed progress under the ASEAN-India comprehensive strategic partnership and charted future initiatives to accelerate cooperation in trade, security, technology and sustainable development.
This marked PM Modi’s 12th participation in the ASEAN-India Summit, a testament to India’s enduring commitment to ASEAN centrality and regional integration under its ‘Act East’ policy.
At the outset, the PM congratulated Timor Leste on becoming the 11th member of ASEAN, welcoming its delegation to its first summit as a full member. He reiterated India’s support for Timor Leste’s human resource development and capacity-building efforts.
Emphasising that the early review of the ASEAN-India free trade agreement (AITIGA) could unleash the region’s full economic potential, PM Modi urged that the process be expedited to promote trade diversification and enhance supply chain resilience. He lauded bloc’s adoption of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and reaffirmed India’s steadfast support for ASEAN unity, centrality, and the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).
On the security front, the PM reiterated that terrorism remains a grave threat to global peace, calling for unity and coordinated regional action against this menace.
In a series of forward-looking announcements aligning with the Summit’s sustainability theme, PM Modi unveiled new initiatives to strengthen the ASEAN-India partnership. These include extended support for the implementation of the ASEAN-India plan of action (2026-2030), adoption of the ASEAN-India joint leaders’ statement on sustainable tourism marking the ‘ASEAN-India Year of Tourism’, and the designation of 2026 as the ‘ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation’ to deepen blue economy partnerships.
He also proposed hosting the second ASEAN-India defence ministers’ meeting and the second ASEAN-India maritime exercise to enhance maritime security and ensure a stable Indo-Pacific.
Reiterating India’s role as a first responder in times of crisis, the PM announced plans to strengthen cooperation in disaster preparedness and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR). He also committed to training 400 professionals in renewable energy to support the ASEAN power grid initiative, extending quick impact projects (QIPs) to Timor Leste, and establishing a Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at Nalanda University to foster academic and cultural exchange.
PM Modi underscored the need for closer cooperation in education, energy, science and technology, fintech, and cultural preservation, while highlighting new opportunities in infrastructure, semiconductors, emerging technologies, rare earths, and critical minerals.
He further announced that India would host the East Asia Summit Maritime Heritage Festival at Lothal, Gujarat, along with a conference on maritime security cooperation to celebrate shared maritime traditions and strategic interests.
Concluding his address, PM Modi expressed appreciation to Malaysian PM Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim for his leadership and flexibility in hosting the summit virtually, and extended gratitude to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the current country coordinator for ASEAN-India relations, for his effective stewardship. The ASEAN leaders, in turn, commended India for its long-standing partnership, noting its proactive engagement through the Act East policy and its evolving role as a key stakeholder in the Indo-Pacific architecture.
The 22nd ASEAN-India Summit thus not only reaffirmed mutual trust and shared goals but also laid out the way forward — one that envisions a more interconnected, secure, and sustainable region built on shared prosperity and strategic cooperation.