India and ASEAN promote strategic partnership

Jakarta, March 31, 2021 - ASEAN and India reaffirmed their commitment to promoting the strategic partnership at the 21st ASEAN India joint cooperation committee meeting held by videoconference.

The meeting focused on the overall progress in the implementation of the ASEAN India action plan (2016-2020). The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to the full and effective implementation of the new "2021-2025 action plan" to further deepen ASEAN India cooperation in the next five years.

In order to strengthen the management and implementation of joint plans / projects invested by the ASEAN India Fund (AIF) and the ASEAN India Green Fund (aigf), ASEAN and India agreed to establish the ASEAN India project management team (aipmu) and determined its terms of reference and members.

Both parties adopted the latest rules of procedure of AIF and aigf to improve the management and utilization of funds for joint plans / projects.

ASEAN commended India for donating US $1 million to the covid-19 ASEAN Response Fund. They also exchanged views on a number of topics, including cooperation in the research and development of new crown diagnosis, vaccine and treatment; Health and pharmaceutical products; Economic recovery after the epidemic, including the maintenance of global supply chain.

The meeting also considered a number of initiatives to strengthen cooperation in other areas of mutual benefit, such as; Transnational crime, maritime security, trade and investment, energy, finance, science and technology and the fourth industrial revolution of the digital economy.

Other areas of cooperation that need to be strengthened include; Education, sustainable development, biodiversity, blue economy, smart city, communication, technology and vocational education and training (TVET), women's empowerment, interpersonal ties and narrowing the development gap in ASEAN.

Kitty Sark kolomchet, permanent envoy of Thailand to ASEAN, and jaant cobragard, permanent Ambassador of India to ASEAN, CO chaired the meeting. Members of the ASEAN Committee of permanent representatives and the Deputy Secretary General of the ASEAN political security community and their respective delegations also attended the meeting.

ASEAN, India to advance partnership

JAKARTA, 31 March 2021 – ASEAN and India reaffirmed their commitment to advance their Strategic Partnership at the 21st ASEAN-India Joint Cooperation Committee Meeting held via videoconference today.

The meeting noted the overall progress in the implementation of the ASEAN-India Plan of Action (2016-2020). Both sides reiterated their commitment towards the full and effective implementation of the new Plan of Action for 2021-2025 to further strengthen and deepen ASEAN-India cooperation over the next five years.

As an effort to enhance the management and execution of the joint programmes/projects funded through ASEAN-India Fund (AIF) and the ASEAN-India Green Fund (AIGF), ASEAN and India agreed to establish an ASEAN-India Project Management Unit (AIPMU) and adopted  its Terms of Reference and members.

Both sides adopted the updated Rules of Procedures of the AIF and AIGF to improve the management and utilisation of the funds to finance joint programmes/projects.

ASEAN appreciated India’s contribution of USD 1 million to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund. They also exchanged views on possible collaboration on Research and Development of COVID-19 diagnostics, vaccines, and treatment; health and pharmaceutical products; and post-pandemic economic recovery including on maintaining global supply chains.

The meeting also deliberated on a number of other initiatives for enhancing cooperation in various areas of mutual benefits, such as; transnational crime, maritime security, trade and investment, energy, finance, science and technology, and digital economy/4th Industrial Revolution.

Other areas of cooperation to enhance include; education, sustainable development, biodiversity, blue economy, smart cities, connectivity, Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET), women empowerment, people-to-people contacts and narrowing development gap in ASEAN.

The Chargé d’Affaires of Thailand’s Permanent Mission to ASEAN Kittisak Klomchit and Ambassador-designate of India to ASEAN Jayant N Khobragade co-chaired the meeting. Members of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN and the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Political- Security Community and their respective delegations were also in attendance.