Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh (centre) at the 9th Delhi Dialogue (Photo: VNA)New Delhi (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign AffairsPham Binh Minh led a Vietnamese high-ranking delegation to attend the 9th Delhi Dialogue which opened in New Delhi, India on July 4.
The two-day event was attended by Indian Minister of External Affairs SushmaSwaraj as well as ministers, officials and leaders of member states of theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
In her opening remarks, Sushma Swaraj highlighted India’s efforts to promoterelations with the ASEAN, saying the country has shifted from the “Look East”to “Act East” policy. India places ASEAN at the heart of this policy and the centreof its dream of an Asian century, she said.
The Indian foreign minister laid stress on core cooperation fields betweenIndia and the ASEAN, which are trade, connectivity and culture. She invitedASEAN businesses to invest in India to take advantage of the new Goods and ServicesTax (GST).
Sushma Swraj noted that India and ASEAN share the same geographical space,where they face common traditional and non-traditional security challenges,adding that the two sides have enhanced collaboration through ASEAN-led forumslike East Asia Summit, ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM ) andExpanded ASEAN Maritime Forum to ensure regional peace and security.
She affirmed that freedom of navigation and respect for international law,notably the UNCLOS, is an urgent issue, and declared India’s commitment toboost maritime cooperation with ASEAN to fully tap the potential of the oceaneconomy.
India will continue to join hands with ASEAN in fighting terrorism, piracy andtrans-boundary crimes, and in ensuring cyber space security, she confirmed.
The 9th Delhi Dialogue, themed “India-ASEAN Relations: Charting theCourse for the Next 25 Years”, is an annual dialogue discussing politics,security, economy and culture-society issues between ASEAN and India.-VNA
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