From doubling scholarships to deepening trade ties: PM Modi announces 10-point plan in ASEAN-India Summit in Laos

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday in Laos said India-ASEAN friendship is important especially when parts of the world are facing conflicts and tensions. Announcing a 10-point action plan to strengthen India-ASEAN comprehensive partnership, the Indian prime minister said, “I believe that the 21st century – the Asian century – is the century of India and ASEAN nations.”

Addressing the 21st India-ASEAN Summit in Laos, Prime Minister Modi also said "We are peace-loving nations and respect each other’s national integrity and sovereignty, and are committed to the bright future of the youth of the region".

"India-ASEAN friendship, coordination dialogue and cooperation is very important at a time when several parts of the world are facing conflicts and tensions," he added.

Taking to microblogging platform X (formerly known as Twitter), PM Modi, after the summit, said, “The India-ASEAN Summit was a productive one. We discussed how to further strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and ASEAN. We look forward to deepening trade ties, cultural linkages and cooperation in technology, connectivity and other such sectors.

Keeping with the theme of 'Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience', the Indian announced a 10-point plan to deepen India's friendship with ASEAN.

PM Modi announced that India would make available $5 million for enhancing disaster resilience and also initiate a new Health Ministers’ track towards building Health Resilience.

Here is PM Modi’s 10-point plan to strengthen ASEAN-India Comprehensive partnership:

• Celebrating the year 2025 as ASEAN-India Year of Tourism for which India would make available $5 million towards joint activities.
• To celebrate a decade of Act East Policy through several people centric activities including Youth Summit, Start-up Festival, Hackathon, Music Festival, ASEAN-India Network of Think Tanks and Delhi Dialogue
• To organise ASEAN-India Women Scientists Conclave under ASEAN-India Science and Technology Development Fund
• Doubling the number of scholarships at Nalanda University and provision of new scholarships for ASEAN students at Agricultural Universities in India.

• Review of ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement by 2025
• Enhancing Disaster Resilience for which India would make available $5 million
• Initiate a new Health Ministers' track towards building Health Resilience
• Initiate a regular mechanism of ASEAN-India Cyber Policy Dialogue towards strengthening Digital and Cyber Resilience
• Workshop on Green Hydrogen
• Invited ASEAN Leaders to join Plant a Tree for Mother campaign towards building climate resilience.