Asean friendship crucial in times of conflict: PM Modi | India News – Times of India

Create a common goal with ASEAN countries, several of which are involved maritime disputes With Beijing in the South China Sea (SCS), Prime Minister Modi on Thursday said that the member states of India and ASEAN respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrityand in times of conflict, friendship and cooperation between them are of the utmost importance.
Tackling the India-ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, Modi said the 21st century is the “Asian century” belonging to India and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).
To boost connectivity and resilience, Modi proposed a 10-point plan, including doubling the number of scholarships at Nalanda University for Asean students, and revising the Asean-India Trade in Goods Agreement by 2025. “We are neighbours, partners in the global South, and a fast-growing region of the world,” Modi said.
A substantive SCS code of conduct is needed, Asean’s joint statement says
We are peace-loving nations, respecting each other’s national integrity and sovereignty, and we are committed to ensuring a bright future for our youth,” Modi said. “I believe that the 21st century is the ‘Asian century’. Today, when there are conflicts and tensions in many parts of the world, friendship, coordination, dialogue and cooperation between India and ASEAN are of utmost importance,” he added. The leaders underlined the importance of Unclos as the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out, and its strategic importance as a basis for national, regional and global action in the maritime sector.
They called for peace, stability and prosperity in the region through “trust based on shared democratic values, a strong belief in sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a shared commitment to the rule of law and the principles of the UN Charter.”
A joint statement said they reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, stability, maritime safety and security, freedom of navigation and overflight in the region and other lawful uses of the seas, in accordance with UNCLOS.
“In this regard, we support the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea in its entirety and look forward to the early conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea that is in accordance with international law, including the Unclos of 1982,” the statement said. Modi also underlined the need to complete the review of the Asean-India Free Trade Agreement (Aitiga) within a time limit.
In a separate joint statement on advancing digital transformation, leaders agreed to formulate a new Asean-India Action Plan (2026-2030) that will guide both sides in realizing the full potential of Asean-India partnership.