ASEAN cornerstone of Act East Policy: EAM S Jaishankar

New Delhi, July 26

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar today said digital infrastructure, defence, maritime, connectivity, security, health and traditional medicine and cultural heritage preservation will be the priority areas for India and ASEAN cooperation.

Participating in the ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ meeting at Laos, he spoke about the situation in Myanmar and on the need to keep the sea lines of communication open and free.

“India values the progress achieved in implementing our comprehensive strategic partnership and the increasing synergy in our outlook for the region,” the minister posted on X. “For India, ASEAN is the cornerstone of its Act East policy and the Indo-Pacific vision that was thereafter built on it,” Jaishankar said.