The two had elevated their ties from Strategic Partnership to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in 2022.
Key Highlights of the Summit
- Support for ASEAN-India Plan of Action to implement ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2026-2030).
- Adoption of the ASEAN-India Joint Leaders’ Statement on Sustainable Tourism.
- Designating 2026 as "ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation”.
- Proposed establishment of a Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at Nalanda University.
- Holding East Asia Summit Maritime Heritage Festival at Lothal, Gujarat.
Significance of ASEAN for India
- India’s support to ASEAN Centrality: It places ASEAN countries at the forefront of the vision of India’s Indo-Pacific strategy and Act East Policy.
- Trade: ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITGA) is a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed in 2009 to boost trade ties.
- Bilateral trade between the two stands around 123 Billion USD (2024-25).
- Counterbalancing China: ASEAN-India Joint Statement on Maritime Cooperation (2023) echoes upholding of international law in the South China Sea.
- Development of India’s North East: ASEAN countries lie closest to India’s Northeastern states with connectivity projects like Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project passing through the region.
- Multilateralism: ASEAN framework highlights the importance of multilateralism, an essential focus of Indian foreign policy.
Timor Leste joins ASEAN as the 11th member
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