Explained: ASEAN Summit 2024

Inspiration Study Circle Explained: ASEAN Summit 2024 (Host: Laos)

The 21st ASEAN-India Summit was held on 10 October 2024, in Vientiane, Lao PDR. The Summit was chaired by H.E. Mr. Sonexay Siphandone, Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. The Summit was attended by ASEAN Member States, Hon. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India, as well as the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste as Observer. The Secretary-General of ASEAN was also in attendance.

The theme this year was “ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience,” which reaffirmed ASEAN’s commitment to strengthening the ASEAN Community through intensifying ASEAN cooperation across the three Community pillars, promoting infrastructure connectivity, narrowing development gaps, enhancing economic integration, promoting people-to-people exchanges, and strengthening capacity and institutional effectiveness.

About the ASEAN Summit

The ASEAN Summit is a biannual meeting held by the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) about the economic, political, security, and socio-cultural development of Southeast Asian countries. In addition, it serves as a prominent regional (Asia) and international (worldwide) conference, with world leaders attending its related summits and meetings to discuss various problems and global issues, strengthening cooperation, and making decisions.

Under the ASEAN Charter, the ASEAN Summit is the supreme policy-making body of ASEAN. It comprises the heads of state or government of each member state. Accordingly, the Chairmanship of ASEAN rotates annually, based on the alphabetical order of the English names of ASEAN member states. The member state assuming the Chairmanship holds it for one calendar year, and chairs the ASEAN Summit and related summits, the ASEAN Coordinating Council, the three ASEAN Community Councils, relevant ASEAN Sectoral Ministerial Bodies and senior officials, and the Committee of Permanent Representatives.

In addition, the Secretary General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is appointed by the ASEAN Summit, selected from among nationals of ASEAN member states based on alphabetical rotation. The Chairmanship of ASEAN for 2024 is held by Laos.

The league of ASEAN is currently connected with other countries that aim to participate in the missions and visions of the league. They conduct annual meetings with other countries in an organization collectively known as the ASEAN dialogue partners. ASEAN +3 adds China, Japan, and South Korea.

The formal summits are held in three days. The usual itinerary is as follows:

ASEAN leaders hold an internal organization meeting.
ASEAN leaders hold a conference together with foreign ministers of the ASEAN Regional Forum.
Leaders of three ASEAN Dialogue Partners (also known as ASEAN +3), namely China, Japan, and South Korea, hold a meeting with the ASEAN leaders.
And a separate meeting is set for leaders of two ASEAN Dialogue Partners (also known as ASEAN +CER), namely Australia and New Zealand.

History of ASEAN Summits

The ASEAN Summit Meetings are held by its ten member states annually. Under the ASEAN Charter, ASEAN Summit Meetings are held twice annually, to be hosted by the member state holding the ASEAN Chairmanship. Further special or ad hoc meetings may be convened whenever necessary, to be chaired by the member state holding the ASEAN Chairmanship at venues to be agreed upon by the ASEAN member states.

The 1st ASEAN Summit was held in February 1976 in Bali, Indonesia. At this summit, ASEAN expressed its readiness to “develop fruitful relations” and mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries of the region. The ASEAN leaders signed the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 2nd ASEAN summit held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysiain August 1977 was the occasion for the first summit meeting between Japan and ASEAN. Japan expressed its intention to promote cooperation with ASEAN.
At the 9th ASEAN Summit, a meeting in October 2003 in Bali, Indonesia, the leaders of the member states signed a declaration known as the Bali Concord IIin which they agreed to pursue closer economic integration by 2020. According to the declaration, “an ASEAN Community” would be set upon three pillars, “namely political and security cooperation, economic cooperation, and socio-cultural cooperation; For ensuring durable peace, stability and shared prosperity in the region.”
The 15th ASEAN Summit was held in October 2009 in Hua Hinand Cha-am, Thailand. It involved the leaders of ASEAN member states together with their dialogue partners from China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, and New Zealand. A flurry of meetings among Asian leaders on the last day raised the possibility of forging a regional free trade pact, which is likely to be raised at the 2009 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
The 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits were held in September 2016 in Vientiane, Laos. The year 2016 also marked the start of the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025. The main theme discussed at the summits was regarding the further commitment to the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the three community Blueprints. ASEAN Leaders also signed the ASEAN Declaration on One ASEAN, One Response: ASEAN Responding to Disasters as One in the Region and Outside the Region. South China Sea issues also came atop among important agenda at the summit.
Last year, that is 2023, saw the Summit in two legs, first in May in Labuan Bajo of Indonesia, and second in September in Jakarta of Indonesia.
The upcoming summits are to be held in Malaysia for the year 2025, in two legs again.

Some Important points about the meetings and Summits held

Free Trade Area: In 2004, Australia and New Zealand started the negotiation for a free trade deal with ASEAN. The ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area was established at the 14th ASEAN Summit in 2009.^[33]It is one of Asia’s largest trade arrangements and covers trade in goods, investment and services, financial services, telecommunications, electronic commerce, and intellectual property.
Treaty of Amity and Cooperation: is open for non-ASEAN states to accede. It requires the contracting parties to forgo any threat or use of force against each other. The Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) is a peace treatyamong Southeast Asian countries established by the founding members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a geo-political and economic organization of 10 countries located in Southeast Asia.
Special ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting on Aftermath of Earthquake and Tsunami: held in January 2005, in Jakarta, Indonesia, to discuss and aid the disaster-hit countries and its after effects.
Special ASEAN summit on COVID-19: held on 14^th April 2020, in Hanoi, Vietnam.
ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting – COVID-19 Pandemic, External Relations & Common Interest: held in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 24^th April 2021, hosted by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.

India and ASEAN- the Relations and Ties

ASEAN and Act East Policy: ASEAN is significant to India’s Act East coverage, which specializes in the prolonged neighborhood within the Asia-Pacific region. India Most of the talk companions India is part of the ASEAN Plus Six grouping, which incorporates China, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, and Australia as nicely.
Trade and Investment: In 2010, India-ASEAN FTA in goods have been signed. FTA in services was signed in 2014. India and ASEAN are important trading companions, with ASEAN accounting for 11% of India’s international trade. India has an exchange deficit with ASEAN.
Institutional cooperation India: The year 2022 marked 30 years of ASEAN-India relations and it became specific as ASEAN-India Friendship Year. Ties have been improved to a strategic partnership in 2012 and a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022. India and ASEAN have reinforced defense cooperation through the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+). The first ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME) was held in 2023.
Promoting Tourism and People-to-People Ties: 2025 is very special as the ASEAN-India Year of Tourism to enhance socio-monetary development. Implementation of ASEAN-India Tourism Cooperation Work Plan 2023-2027.

ASEAN Summit 2024: PM Modi unveils 10-point plan to strengthen India-ASEAN relations

PM Modi underlines respect for each other’s national integrity and sovereignty. Announcing a 10-point plan while underlining that dialogue and cooperation between India and ASEAN are of utmost importance at a time of conflict and tension in many parts of the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday flagged “respect” for “each other’s national integrity and sovereignty” at the India-ASEAN leaders’ summit in Laos capital Vientiane.

Speaking at the 21st ASEAN-India Summit, Modi also announced a 10-point plan to mark a decade of India’s Act East Policy that included ASEAN-India Cyber Policy Dialogue, 2025 as ASEAN-India Year of Tourism, doubling the number of scholarships at Nalanda University among others.

In keeping with the theme of ‘Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience’, the Prime Minister announced a 10-point plan:

Celebrating 2025 as the ASEAN-India Year of Tourism for which India will make available USD 5 million towards joint activities;
Celebrate a decade of Act East Policy through several people-centric activities including Youth Summit, Start-up Festival, Hackathon, Music Festival, ASEAN-India Network of Think Tanks, and Delhi Dialogue;
Organise ASEAN-India Women Scientists Conclave under ASEAN-India Science and Technology Development Fund;
Doubling the number of scholarships at Nalanda University and provision of new scholarships for ASEAN students at Agricultural Universities in India;
Review of ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement by 2025;
Enhancing Disaster Resilience for which India will make available USD 5 million;
Initiate a new Health Ministers’ track towards building Health Resilience;
Initiate a regular mechanism of ASEAN-India Cyber Policy Dialogue towards strengthening Digital and Cyber Resilience;
Workshop on Green Hydrogen; and
Invited ASEAN Leaders to join the ‘Plant a Tree for Mother’ campaign towards building climate resilience.

Other highlights of the 21st ASEAN- India Summit 2024

PM Modi’s speech: Focus on ASEAN unity and economic growth PM Modi reiterated India’s unwavering support for ASEAN unity, ASEAN centrality, and the ASEAN prospect in the Indo-Pacific. He called the 21st century the “Asian Century” and emphasized the importance of India-ASEAN relations in shaping the future of Asia. Major achievements over the past decade include: Doubling India-ASEAN trade to cover Direct air connections with seven ASEAN countries Fin-tech cooperation and restoration of shared cultural heritage ASEAN Youth Scholarships at Nalanda University The Prime Minister also emphasized the need for an early revision of the ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement (AITIGA) to unlock greater economic potential.
Future Action Plan (2026-2030): The leaders agreed to create a new ASEAN-India Action Plan (2026-2030) to promote the partnership. Two joint statements were adopted Joint Declaration on Strengthening the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace, Stability and Prosperity in the Indo-Pacific A joint statement on advancing digital transformation, recognizing India’s role in digital public infrastructure
Importance of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): India’s contributions to ASEAN Digital Masterplan 2025and Centers of Excellence in Software Development were appreciated.
Financial Technology (FinTech) Collaboration: The partnership seeks to expand collaboration on FinTech innovations, especially through cross-border payment systems and digital financial solutions.
Cybersecurity Cooperation: Both parties supported the establishment of the ASEAN-India Cyber Policy Dialogueto bolster the resilience and security of digital infrastructure.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Collaboration: The Joint Statement called for collaboration in AI to develop skills, infrastructure, risk management frameworks, and responsible policies. Focus areas include upskilling and reskilling the workforce and promoting trustworthy AI systems.
Capacity building and knowledge sharing: Capacity building and knowledge sharing initiatives will be supported through regular exchanges, workshops, and training programs under the ASEAN-India Digital Ministers’ Meeting to support digital transformation efforts.
Sustainable financing and investment: India and ASEAN have agreed to explore innovative funding mechanisms, including public-private partnerships and international funding to support digital initiatives. These activities will initially be funded by the ASEAN-India Digital Future Fund.

Significance of the ASEAN- India Summit 2024

The summit marks a milestone in ASEAN-India relations, with both sides reaffirming each other’s strategic and economic importance. India’s sustained engagement with ASEAN through its Act East Policy will continue to shape the regional architecture in the Indo-Pacific in line with ASEAN’s vision and broader goals of regional stability and prosperity.

The India-ASEAN relations aim to facilitate economic, cultural, and social development and maintain peace and security among the nations. India was one of the founding members of the ASEAN-India Centre for Cooperation (AICC), established in 1995 under an agreement signed between India and ASEAN.

The meeting reviewed the progress of ASEAN-India cooperation and discussed its future direction, with a view to advancing an ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership that is meaningful, substantive, and mutually beneficial.

Reflecting further commitments to advancing the cooperation, the Leaders of ASEAN and India adopted the Joint Statement on Strengthening ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace, Stability, and Prosperity in the Region in the Context of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) with the support of India’s Act East Policy (AEP). Recognizing that technology can enable rapid transformation for bridging the digital divide in the region and help accelerate progress towards inclusive and sustainable development, the Leaders of ASEAN and India also adopted the ASEAN-India Joint Statement on Advancing Digital Transformation.

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Disclaimer: The Above information is taken from the following sources: ASEAN Main Portal, Wikipedia, and the Indian Express.

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