India has reaffirmed its strong commitment to deepening collaboration with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), describing the regional bloc as a “genuine and trusted partner” in advancing shared prosperity and stability.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and related events, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, emphasized the enduring strength of the ASEAN-India relationship, which continues to flourish under New Delhi’s Act East Policy.
“The relationship is growing stronger day by day and is reflected in the initiatives of ASEAN member states,” said Margherita. “We have worked together across all sectors, ranging from trade, commerce, and culture.”
Margherita highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s active engagement with ASEAN, having attended 11 ASEAN-related summits. He noted Modi’s recent remarks at the ASEAN Summit in Laos, where the Prime Minister declared that “this century is a century of Asia, especially India and ASEAN countries.”
India also welcomed the adoption of the ASEAN-India Plan of Action (2026–2030), which aims to elevate cooperation across strategic sectors and includes engagement with Timor-Leste.
Commending Malaysia’s leadership as ASEAN Chair, Margherita expressed gratitude for the country’s hospitality and organizational success during the ministerial meetings.
The ASEAN-India partnership, which began as a sectoral dialogue in 1992, was elevated to full dialogue partner status in 1995 and further upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022.
Held under Malaysia’s 2025 ASEAN Chairmanship theme of “Inclusivity and Sustainability,” the 58th AMM featured 24 ministerial-level engagements, bringing together ASEAN Dialogue Partners and Sectoral Dialogue Partners to strengthen regional cooperation.
