ASEAN-India Summit 2023-The ASEAN-EU Senior Officials’ Meeting was held in Chennai.

The Meeting was co-chaired by Guest of Honour H.E.Dr.Moe Kyaw Aung, Ambassador of Myanmar to India, New Delhi, Dr.Asif Iqbal,President IETO & IATC, New Delhi, Dr. Venkatachalam.M, IFS, Head of Branch secretariat,Ministry of External Affairs,Government of India, Mr.Dharmendra Pratap Yadav IAS,Principal Secretary, Handloom,Handcrafts, Textiles and Khadi Govt of TamilNadu, H.E.Mr.Nitrooge Phonepsrat, Consul General of Thailand in South India, H.E. Edgar Pang,Consul General of Singapore in South India, H.E.Mr.K.Saravana Kumar, Consul General of Malaysia in South India, Prof.Ranganathan.J Honorary Consul of Myanmar, Mr.M.Dhanashekaran,Chancellor, Takshashila University, Mr.Krishna N Pimple, Honarary Consul of Tanzania,  Trade Commissioner of Asean Mr. Harvinder Pal  Singh and Representation from Indonesia and Thailand. 

The Meeting exchanged views on recent developments in ASEAN and  India which remain two of the world’s leading regions. With a  rapidly changing political landscape and growing challenges in both regions and in the world, the Meeting underscored their commitment to regional integration and cooperation as a means to promote regional peace, security, stability and prosperity and to promote multilateralism and a rules-based international order.

The conference reinforced its support for ASEAN Centrality in the evolving regional architecture and ASEAN welcomes the interest of India in furthering engagement with the region through all ASEAN-led processes. The Meeting  also discussed ways to make ASEAN and India even more relevant to the peoples of the two regions and to be able to better address shared global  challenges, from human trafficking and irregular migration to maritime security and safety and transnational crime, from terrorism and violent extremism to poverty, sustainable development and climate change.

The meeting also provides the political impetus for the continued strengthening of ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations. The Meeting discussed the future of ASEAN-India cooperation and underscored the importance of the new ASEAN-EU Plan of Action which aims to bring cooperation between ASEAN and India to a higher level by addressing regional and global challenges of shared concern over the next five years and it is expected to be adopted at the ASEAN Post Ministerial  Conference. 

The Meeting welcomed the commemorative activities to mark the Anniversary of ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations already carried out and looked forward to the ones to be implemented before the end of the year, as well as to promote greater understanding and awareness of ASEAN-India Cooperation among the people of both regions. 

Recognising that ASEAN-India cooperation should yield tangible and concrete benefits to the peoples of the two regions, the Meeting reiterated the importance of cooperation on enhancing trade, investment and connectivity, enhancing dialogue on political and security issues of common concern and promoting closer people-to-people ties as well as reaffirming their commitment  to promote and protect human rights, fundamental freedoms, the rule of law, gender equality, and women’s empowerment. 

The Meeting discussed important developments in other regions and global issues which could have a potential impact on regional and global peace and prosperity. The Meeting recognised that ASEAN and India, individually and in partnership, could contribute further to peace, security, stability and prosperity of the global community of nations. The Meeting also stressed the importance of promoting sustainable development and global public goods as well as addressing the shared global challenge of climate change. The Meeting welcomed the preparations for the first ASEAN-India High Level Dialogue on 

Sustainable Development.

The Meeting agreed to hold the next ASEAN-India Meeting in UAE  andexpressed appreciation to Thailand for the warm hospitality and excellent arrangements of the delegations in the country.

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