PHNOM PENH – Asean and India have upgraded their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, as the two parties mark three decades of dialogue relations.
The move, announced on Saturday, seeks to enhance trade and deepen collaboration in areas such as public healthcare infrastructure, cyber security and regional connectivity.
At a meeting Asean leaders had with Indian Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Singapore strongly welcomes the upgrade. Singapore is currently the country coordinator for India in Asean.
The bloc’s leaders are in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh for high-level meetings with their global counterparts.
PM Lee noted that Asean is commemorating the 30th anniversary of dialogue relations with India, and called the upgrade a timely one.
The South-east Asian grouping values India’s support for Asean-led mechanisms in the evolving regional architecture and Asean centrality, he said. He suggested that both parties can explore practical cooperation between the Asean Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative.
PM Lee added that Asean and India should also facilitate stronger trade and investment flows. The bloc welcomes the endorsement of the Scoping Paper for the review of the Asean-India Trade in Goods Agreement and looks forward to the early conclusion of the review, he added.
Asean also welcomes India’s contributions to regional connectivity, and PM Lee said the grouping encourages India to continue supporting the master plan on Asean Connectivity in 2025.
The initiative, adopted in 2016, aims to tackle connectivity issues through efforts in areas like sustainable infrastructure, digital innovation and logistics to work towards a more comprehensively connected Asean.
The grouping looks forward to the completion of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway and its possible extension to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, said PM Lee.
Beyond existing partnerships, Asean and India should collaborate in new areas as well, added PM Lee. He brought up how both sides should use the Asean Smart Cities network to build resilient, innovative and well-connected communities.
They should also deepen cyber-security cooperation through the Asean-Singapore Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence, and strengthen public health infrastructure through efforts like working together on vaccine production and distribution.
