Asean countries welcome India’s presence in area

New Delhi: All 10 Asean (Association of South-East Asian Nations) countries welcome India’s presence in the Asia-Pacific region as “benign”, sources said on Wednesday ahead of the Asean-India Comme-morative Summit in New Delhi on January 25 to mark 25 years of Indo-Asean ties that will be attended by heads of government/state of all 10 nations. The menace of terrorism is also another major issue that will be discussed at the Summit, sources said.

Connectivity will be another major initiative, with India planning to extend the India-Myanmar-Thailand highway under construction on to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Incidentally, India has extremely close ties with Vietnam in the region.

Observers point out that India is shoring up its strategic presence in south-east Asia in the backdrop of an increasingly assertive China.

The Ramayana will also be proudly projected as a prominent binding factor in cultural traditions of India and the Asean countries. A Ramayana festival will be held from January 20 to 24 in the Capital, with Ramayana troupes from all 10 countries participating, sources said on Wednesday.

After the Summit on January 25, leaders of all 10 Asean nations will attend the Republic Day celebrations on January 26, with the Republic Day  parade expected to feature aspects of strong Indo-Asean ties, sources said. Just last month, during his visit to Manila, PM  Modi had “assured” Asean leaders at the Asean-India Summit held there of India’s steady “support towards achieving a rules-based regional security architecture.”

PM Modi had also said he “looked forward to a befitting culmination of the commemorative year and receiving you at the India-ASEAN Special Summit.”