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.