Modi is visiting Vientiane at the invitation of his Lao counterpart, Sonexay Siphandone, to attend two meetings on the margins of the ASEAN summit.
On Thursday, the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to leave for Laos, he said that the East Asia Summit and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-India Summit would be an opportunity to discuss challenges to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and chart a course for future cooperation with the regional bloc.
Modi has arrived in Vientiane at his Laotian counterpart Sonexay Siphandone’s invitation to attend the two meetings on the margins of the ASEAN summit currently chaired by Laos.
He will also meet his counterparts from other Asian states bilaterally.
Modi said the East Asia Summit will offer a venue for discussing the challenges to peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
“I will join the Asian leaders to review progress in our comprehensive strategic partnership and chart the future direction of our cooperation.”
This visit comes as India marks a decade since the formulation of its “Act East” policy, which is related to its engagement with Southeast Asian countries.
India has close strategic and trade ties with ASEAN members such as Singapore, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
