10 October 2024, Vientiane – Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone presided over the 21st ASEAN-India Summit, attended by ASEAN leaders, H.E. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, and the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste as an observer.

The meeting reviewed the progress of ASEAN-India cooperation and charted a future course to advance ASEAN-India dialogue relations, with the aim of strengthening the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The leaders expressed deep appreciation for over three decades of ASEAN-India dialogue relations, which have significantly contributed to ASEAN Community-building efforts.

Both sides agreed to designate 2025 as the Year of ASEAN-India Tourism, with the objective of promoting people-to-people and cultural exchanges between ASEAN and India. The meeting further encouraged deeper cooperation in areas where both sides see great potential, such as trade and investment, education, human capital development, the digital economy, and Micro, Medium, and Small Enterprises (MSMEs), among others.

The summit concluded with the adoption of two key outcome documents: Joint Statement on Strengthening ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace, Stability and Prosperity in the Region in the context of the ASEAN Outlook of the Indo-Pacific with the Support of India’s Act East Policy, and ASEAN-India Joint Statement on Advancing Digital Transformation.

India remains one of ASEAN’s most important and dynamic dialogue partners. ASEAN-India dialogue relations were established in 1995, elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2012, and further enhanced to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022.