Underlining a “collective desire for restoration of peace and stability in west Asia and Eurasia as soon as possible”, PM Modi iterated that “solutions cannot be found in battlefields”, and that India, in fulfilling its responsibilities as a “vishwabandhu”, would continue to make every effort to contribute to peace efforts.
“I come from the land of Buddha, and I have repeatedly stated this is not the age of war. It is essential to respect sovereignty, territorial integrity, and international laws,” he said while addressing East Asia Summit in Laos last week.
In a message to Asean countries amid growing Chinese assertiveness, Modi said the region’s approach should be focused on development and not expansionism. He said a free, open, inclusive, prosperous and rules-based Indo- Pacific is crucial for progress of the entire region, and that peace, security and stability in South China Sea are in the interest of the entire Indo-Pacific region.
“We believe that maritime activities should be conducted in accordance with UNCLOS. Ensuring freedom of navigation and airspace is essential. A robust and effective Code of Conduct should be developed. And, it should not impose restrictions on the foreign policies of regional countries,” said the PM.
Calling for concerted action against terrorism, he said the menace poses a serious challenge to global peace and security.
He said, “To combat it, forces that believe in humanity must come together and work in tandem. And, we must strengthen mutual cooperation in the areas of cyber, maritime, and space.” While endorsing Asean’s approach to Myanmar, PM Modi said India believes it is crucial to sustain humanitarian assistance and implement suitable measures for the restoration of democracy.
“We believe that, Myanmar should be engaged rather than isolated in this process. As a neighbouring country, India will continue to uphold its responsibilities. Friends, the most negatively affected countries, due to ongoing conflicts in various parts of the world, are those from the Global South,” he said, further adding India has consistently supported the unity and centrality of Asean that is also pivotal to India's Indo-Pacific vision and Quad cooperation. PM highlighted that the path of dialogue must be adopted.
Asean friendship crucial
Making common cause with Asean nations, Modi said India and Asean member states respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and in times of conflict and tensions, friendship and cooperation between them is of paramount importance.
Addressing the India-Asean Summit at Vientiane, the capital of Laos, Modi said the 21st century is the “Asian century” that belongs to India and Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).
To enhance connectivity and resilience, Modi also proposed a 10-point plan that included doubling the number of scholarships at Nalanda University for Asean students, and a review of Asean-India Trade in Goods Agreement by 2025.
