20th ASEAN-India Summit gets underway in Jakarta

Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with other leaders of the ASEAN posed for a family photograph as the 20th ASEAN-India Summit got underway in Jakarta

Jakarta: Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with other leaders of the ASEAN posed for a family photograph as the 20th ASEAN-India Summit got underway in Jakarta.

PM Modi reached the ASEAN-India Summit at the Jakarta Convention Centre on Thursday and was welcomed by Indonesian President Joko Widodo at the centre.

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PM Modi also addressed the ASEAN-India Summit. He has said that it was an “honour” for him to co-chair the summit.

In the address at the Summit in Indonesia, PM Modi congratulated Indonesian President Joko Widodo for organising the Summit and said, “Our partnership has reached the fourth decade. It is an honour for me to co-chair this Summit. I want to congratulate Indonesian President Joko Widodo for organising this Summit…” The Prime Minister’s visit to Indonesia comes ahead of the G20 Summit to be held in New Delhi on September 9-10 under India’s Presidency this year.

Indonesia is part of the G20 ‘troika’ as it had the presidency of the grouping last year. PM Modi will also be part of the 18th East Asia Summit (EAS) being held alongside the ASEAN-India summit. Earlier today, on his arrival in Jakarta, PM Modi was accorded a ceremonial welcome at Jakarta International Airport. He was received by I. Gusti Ayu Bintang Darmawati, Minister for Women Empowerment and Child Protection As the Prime Minister reached his hotel he was welcomed by the Indian community.

Earlier, before leaving for Indonesia on Wednesday, Prime Minister Modi said in a statement that he is looking forward to exchanging views with other leaders on practical cooperation measures to collectively address the global challenges.

He also termed the engagement with the ASEAN group as an important pillar of India’s ‘Act East Policy’.

In August, ASEAN-India Economic Ministers met in Indonesia and the main agenda of this year’s meeting was the timely review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) which was signed in 2009.

A joint committee agreed to a regular, quarterly schedule of negotiations, which would conclude the review of the ASEAN-India FTA in 2025.
PM Modi will return to New Delhi on Thursday evening ahead of the G20 Summit, which will be held on September 9 and 10.