Strengthening Ties: Modi announces scholarships, festivals, and health Initiatives to boost India-ASEAN connection

The 10-point strategy to develop the India-ASEAN comprehensive partnership was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Oct 10 where he said that maintaining connections with the regional bloc was essential to directing Asia's future.

Announcing a review of the trade in goods agreement to fully utilize the partnership's higher economic potential, Modi remarked that trade between India and ASEAN had doubled to over USD 130 billion in the previous ten years.

In an address to the leaders of the ASEAN countries which includes — Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, and Singapore — the prime minister said, "I believe that the 21st century – the Asian century – is the century of India and ASEAN nations."

The Prime Minister said India was honoring the 10th anniversary of its Act East Policy, which has provided new energy, direction, and momentum to India's historic ties with ASEAN nations.

“The India-ASEAN Summit was a productive one. We discussed how to further strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and ASEAN. We look forward to deepening trade ties, cultural linkages and cooperation in technology, connectivity and other such sectors,” Modi said in a post on X.

The 10-point plan to boost the India-ASEAN connection includes designating 2025 as the ASEAN-India Year of Tourism, tripling the number of scholarships at Nalanda University, and granting new grants to ASEAN students attending Indian agricultural universities.

Prime Minister Modi also planned a series of people-focused events to commemorate the decade of the Act East Policy, including a Youth Summit, Start-up Festival, Hackathon, Music Festival, ASEAN-India Network of Think Tanks, and Delhi Dialogue.

Modi also announced plans to hold the ASEAN-India Women Scientists Conclave through the ASEAN-India Science and Technology Development Fund.

According to him, India would launch a new Health Ministers' track aimed at constructing health resilience in addition to providing $5 million for improving catastrophe resilience.

The PM also said that a workshop on green hydrogen will be held and that a regular mechanism of the ASEAN-India Cyber Policy Dialogue would be started with the goal of enhancing digital and cyber resilience.

Additionally, in an effort to increase climate resilience, Modi extended an invitation to ASEAN leaders to join the "Plant a Tree for Mother" program.

“India-ASEAN friendship, coordination dialogue and cooperation is very important at a time when several parts of the world are facing conflicts and tensions,” he said.

According to Prime Minister Modi, the countries of ASEAN and India are neighbors, partners in the Global South, and a rapidly developing area.

Modi went to Laos for a two-day visit in order to attend the summits between East Asia and ASEAN-India and to further strengthen ties with the member nations.

In the midst of Myanmar's civil war and South China Sea territorial concerns, the ten ASEAN members met.

After ASEAN banned it from sending political representatives in late 2021, Myanmar sent the permanent secretary of the Foreign Ministry Aung Kyaw Moe to the summit, becoming its first high-level envoy in three years.