Free, open Indo-Pacific key for peace, progress of region: Modi

Speaking at the 19th East Asian Summit, PM highlights necessity of safeguarding freedom of navigation and airspace

Peace, security, and stability in the South China Sea are in the interest of the entire Indo-Pacific region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Laos capital Vientiane on Friday.

“We believe that maritime activities should be conducted in accordance with UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS),” Modi said, without explicitly mentioning China’s growing aggression in the region.

The prime minister, who was speaking at the 19th East Asian Summit (EAS),? highlighted the necessity of safeguarding freedom of navigation and airspace, and called for the development of a strong and effective code of conduct.

“Our approach should focus on development and not expansionism,” he added.

Set up in 2005, the East Asian Summit, an initiative led by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), initially included 16 countries before expanding to 18 members in 2011, including the US and Russia.?Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea are the other members in the regional grouping.

Modi met US secretary of state Antony Blinken on the sidelines of the summit in Laos, extending his condolences for the lives lost in Hurricane Milton in the US, apart from Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.

He highlighted that the Global South suffers most from conflicts worldwide and stressed the urgent need for peace and stability in Eurasia and the Middle East. Drawing on Buddha’s teachings, Modi stressed that this is not an age for war and highlighted the importance of respecting sovereignty and international laws, advocating for dialogue and diplomacy.

India firmly believes in the philosophy that upholds global brotherhood, or’ Vishwabandhu,’ and will continue to make every effort to contribute to this direction, he said. Modi also underlined the need to enhance cyber, maritime, and space cooperation.

During the 21st India-Asean summit, he affirmed India’s commitment to deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the member-states, and expressed confidence that both India and Asean would advance human welfare, regional peace, stability, and prosperity.

Modi praised the ‘Act East’ policy for revitalizing ties with the regional grouping, boosting trade to over $130 billion.

He outlined a 10-point plan aligning with a decade of the policy, including a review of the “Asean-India Trade in Goods Agreement” to foster economic ties and strengthen supply chains.

He announced a $5 million fund to promote Asean-India tourism and declared 2025 as the “Asean-India Year of Tourism,” with upcoming direct flights to Brunei and a new embassy in Timor-Leste. An additional $5 million from the “Asean-India Fund” will support disaster resilience efforts, he said.

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