Assam CM meets Jaishankar on ‘Act East Policy’ and global ties
The meeting underscored Assam’s growing international presence and its potential as a key player in India's engagement with Southeast Asian nations.
The meeting underscored Assam’s growing international presence and its potential as a key player in India's engagement with Southeast Asian nations.
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Singapore, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that the Southeast Asian island nation has a central role to play in India's 'Act East' policy.
The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership entered into last year has injected new dynamism in ties between the two sides, he added.
The Congress chief made the remarks in a tweet, while presiding over a meeting of leaders from North East states of Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Sikkim for preparation of Lok Sabha elections 2024.
EAM said, "ASEAN is a crucial pillar of India's Act East policy and its vision for the wider Indo-Pacific. A strong and unified ASEAN plays an important role in the emerging dynamic of the Indo-Pacific."
The AEP has thus addressed the geo-strategic environment, the threat to maritime security and the need for a balance of power especially with China's emergence as a major Asian power in the context of close connectivity and cohesion amongst the nations in this region. ASEAN or the Asia Pacific region may encounter new challenges at any time with the changes of economic and political conditions at the international level and also with the changes in the balance of power.
Indeed, Vietnam is a strategic pillar of India's Act East Policy and this country's key interlocutor in ASEAN. Hence both countries have called for a Code of Conduct in South China Sea. As highlighted by the Prime Minister in June 2018 at the Sangri La Dialogue, India remains committed to the principle of an open, transparent, inclusive and rules-based regional architecture based on freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded economic activities and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law.
Over the years SIMBEX has stood the test of time in demonstrating the nation’s commitment to enhance maritime cooperation between the two navies.
The substantial presence of ethnic Nepalese people in North-east India is an asset to promote greater economic interaction with the neighbouring country Nepal.
Any attempt to converge national vision with people's voices in this contested region must be negotiated carefully
