Srinagar- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the Global South countries face the severe impact of conflicts in parts of the world, and called for restoration of peace at the earliest in Eurasia and West Asia through dialogue and diplomacy.
Addressing the 19th East Asia Summit here, Modi said a free, open, inclusive, prosperous, and rules-based Indo-Pacific is crucial for peace and progress of the entire region.
As the first speaker at the Summit after the host, Lao PDR, and incoming chair, Malaysia, the prime minister asserted that the East Asia Summit — Indo-Pacific’s premier forum for strategic dialogue — is a key pillar of India’s Act East Policy.
Amid increasing Chinese assertiveness in the region, the prime minister said peace, security, and stability in the South China Sea are in the interest of the entire Indo-Pacific region.
Stating that ensuring freedom of navigation and airspace is essential, Modi said, “We believe that maritime activities should be conducted in accordance with UNCLOS. A robust and effective Code of Conduct should be developed.”
India and other South Asian countries have repeatedly stated the importance of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in the South China Sea region in view of China’s assertiveness.
“Our approach should focus on development and not expansionism,” Modi said without naming any country.
Noting that the most negatively affected countries, due to ongoing conflicts in various parts of the world, are those from the Global South, Modi said, there is a collective desire for the restoration of peace and stability in regions such as Eurasia and West Asia as soon as possible.
Modi’s remarks came in the backdrop of the prolonged Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Israel-Hamas war in West Asia.
“I come from the land of Buddha, and I have repeatedly stated that this is not the era of war. Solutions to problems cannot come from the battlefield,” Modi said.
With a humanitarian perspective, “we must place a strong emphasis on dialogue and diplomacy”, the prime minister said.
In fulfilling its responsibilities as a ‘Vishwabandhu’, India will continue to make every effort to contribute in this direction, said Modi, who arrived here on Thursday to attend the 21st ASEAN-India Summit and the 19th East Asia Summit.
Asserting that terrorism also poses a serious challenge to global peace and security, Modi said that to combat it, forces that believe in humanity must come together and work in tandem.
He also called for strengthening mutual cooperation in the areas of cyber, maritime, and space.
India has consistently supported the unity and centrality of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which, Modi said, is pivotal to India’s Indo-Pacific vision and Quad cooperation.
There are important similarities between India’s “Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative” and the “ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific”, the prime minister pointed out.
India endorses ASEAN’s approach to the situation in Myanmar and support the Five-Point Consensus, he said, adding, “Myanmar should be engaged rather than isolated in this process.”
At the start of his address, Modi expressed deep condolences to those affected by ‘Typhoon Yagi,’ a destructive tropical cyclone which impacted Southeast Asia and South China last month.
Recalling how the revival of Nalanda was a commitment made at one of the earlier East Asia Summit, the prime minister said, “This June, we fulfilled that commitment by inaugurating the new campus of Nalanda University.”
And then went on to invite the East Asian Summit countries to attend the ‘Heads of Higher Education Conclave’ to be held at Nalanda” later.
The East Asia Summit comprises 18 participating countries. It includes 10 ASEAN member states — Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam — and Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, and the United States of America.
Later at a briefing here, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Jaideep Mazumdar said the leaders exchanged views on regional and international matters that affect peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.
Modi participated in the 21st ASEAN-India Summit on Thursday.
“Since his arrival, Modi has had intense engagements, including both the ASEAN-India Summit, the East Asia Summit and various bilateral talks,” Mazumdar said.
The MEA official said ASEAN leaders “very positively appraised our cooperation” in many areas of diverse collaboration, as a result of India’s Act East Policy along with India’s leadership role in digital public infrastructure and the fact that ASEAN countries can benefit significantly from this.
On Thursday, Modi attended a special presentation of an episode of Lao Ramayan – called Phalak Phalam or Phra Lak Phra Ram – performed by the prestigious Royal Theatre of Luang Prabang.
He also walked through a photo exhibition showcasing the work carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) at the Vat Phou temple in Lao PDR.
The prime minister also announced a 10-point special plan to strengthen connectivity and resilience between India and ASEAN.
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