ASEAN Partnership Key To Tackling Modern Challenges, Says S. Jaishankar

Singapore: India and ASEAN’s collaboration holds significant potential for addressing contemporary challenges, including food and health security and political stability, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated at the Eighth Roundtable of ASEAN-India Network of Think-Tanks in Singapore. 

Speaking at the event titled ‘Navigating a World in Transition: Agenda for ASEAN-India Cooperation,’ S Jaishankar emphasised that the combined population of India and ASEAN represents over a quarter of the global population, making their economic and social collaboration impactful on a global scale.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at the
Eighth Roundtable of ASEAN-India Network of Think-Tanks in Singapore

India And ASEAN Could Support Each Other in Trade, Tourism And Education, Says Jaishankar

The External Affairs Minister underscored the strategic role India and ASEAN could play in supporting each other’s emerging demands, particularly in sectors like trade, tourism, and education. He noted that both regions are powerful consumer markets with the potential to shape global services and connectivity.

S Jaishankar highlighted health security as a shared priority

On pressing issues like climate change and food security, he emphasised that collaboration is essential. Citing the pandemic experience, he highlighted health security as a shared priority. He also addressed the political challenges in the region, particularly Myanmar, stressing the need for India and ASEAN to work closely on humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and maritime security.

S. Jaishankar advocated for a ‘stronger culture of self-help,’stressing that solutions must be collaboratively shaped by regional stakeholders. He highlighted India’s support for ASEAN’s central role in the Indo-Pacific, rooted in shared cultural and civilizational ties.

Reflecting on India-ASEAN relations, S. Jaishankar pointed to cooperative frameworks such as the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation and the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand growth triangle, which have strengthened ties. He noted that while growth has spurred prosperity and technological progress, it has also introduced challenges, such as economic dependency and the ‘weaponization of international economics.’

Source: PTI