EAM Jaishankar Holds Productive Discussions with his counterparts from ASEAN Nations in Indonesia

GG News Bureau

Jakarta, 13th July. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with his counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Thursday and discussed developments in areas such as fintech, food security, and marine domains.

Jaishankar is in the Indonesian capital for an ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers conference.

He also met Singapore’s Indian-origin Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, with whom he discussed the advancement of the comprehensive strategic alliance.

“A warm and productive ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers meeting this morning. Thank @VivianBala for co-chairing it with me. Noted the progress in implementing our comprehensive strategic partnership. Discussed greater focus on digital, fintech, food security and maritime domains. Exchanged views on the situation in Myanmar,” Jaishankar tweeted.

Myanmar has been witnessing widespread protests demanding the restoration of democracy since the military seized power in a coup in February 2021.

Myanmar’s military has used airstrikes to target its opponents and those engaged in violent opposition to the ruling regime.

Jaishankar also met with his Brunei counterpart.

“Good meeting with Brunei FM Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof on the sidelines of the ASEAN-India Ministerial. Our bilateral cooperation grows steadily. Focused on enhancing trade. Discussed food security, mobility and space cooperation,” Jaishankar tweeted along with pictures.

Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam are ASEAN members.

On Wednesday, he met with counterparts from a number of nations, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, and Vietnam.

The external Affairs Minister started his engagements here in the capital of Indonesia with a meeting with the Secretary General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dr Kao Kim Hourn.

During his stay in Indonesia, Jaishankar will meet his counterparts under the ASEAN framework in the format – ASEAN-India, East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum.

After Jakarta, Jaishankar will travel to Bangkok to participate in the 12th Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) Mechanism on Sunday.

MGC, one of the oldest mechanisms of the lower Mekong region, is guided by India’s Act East Policy, the External Affairs Ministry said.

The MGC is an initiative by India, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam to facilitate closer connections between the six member countries which share the Ganga River and Mekong River basins.

In Bangkok, Jaishankar will also attend the BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers’ Retreat on July 17.

BIMSTEC is an economic and technical initiative which brings together the countries of the Bay of Bengal for multifaceted cooperation. The retreat would discuss ways to further deepen the BIMSTEC agenda and strengthen the organisation. (with agency inputs)