New Delhi (thestates.news)| External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will be on a visit to Vientiane on July 25-27 at the invitation of the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Lao PDR Saleumxay Kommasith, to participate in the meetings of Foreign Ministers under the ASEAN framework in the format of ASEAN-India, East Asia Summit (EAS) and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).
The visit underlines India’s deep engagement with and the importance India attaches to the ASEAN-centred regional architecture, our strong commitment to ASEAN unity, ASEAN centrality, the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and taking forward the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, a statement said. It is of particular significance that this year marks a decade of India’s Act East Policy which was announced by Prime Minister Modi at the 9th East Asia Summit in 2014.
EAM is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other countries in Vientiane, Lao PDR, on the margins of the ASEAN-related meetings, it added. Laos is the current chair of the 10-member ASEAN, which comprises the countries Brunei Darussalam, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. (UNI)
EAM visiting Laos to attend Asean-related meetings
