Speeches / Statements

Statement by EAM at India ASEAN Ministerial meeting

22/07/2009

Mr. Co-chairman,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. I thank you for your statements. I am indeed very happy to have the opportunity to share our perspective of ASEAN-India relationship.

2. The progress ASEAN-India relationship has registered since the last Summit in Singapore in 2007 is encouraging. The productive and comprehensive discussions among our colleagues and Senior Officials from member countries leave no doubt that our "Partnership in Action", which we forged in 2002 in Phnom Penh at the annual India-ASEAN Summit, is heading in the right direction. The ASEAN-India Summits have provided us with the opportunity to meet and learn more about each other and to give new directions to our cooperation. In order to accelerate the growth in our bilateral relations in all spheres of activity, India has appointed an Ambassador to ASEAN.

3. Our economic complementarities and global developments have added to the close political, economic and security inter-¬linkages between India and ASEAN. India-ASEAN trade amounted to a little over 38 billion US Dollars in 2007-08. I am sure that the target of 50 billion US Dollars in 2010, as proposed by our Prime Minister at the 2007 Summit in Singapore, is not beyond reach despite the current economic slowdown. We have finalized the text of Agreement on trade-in-Goods and have also commenced negotiations on Services and Investment Agreements in October, 2008.

4. As was mentioned at the last Summit in 2007, India remains committed to the Initiative for ASEAN Integration. I am happy to note the visit of 100 ASEAN students and institutionalization of annual Diplomatic Course for the ASEAN diplomats. India also extends training facilities to nationals of ASEAN member countries in a variety of other disciplines.

5. It is also a matter of great satisfaction that an understanding has been reached for Exchange Programme for parliamentarians of ASEAN countries and India at mutually convenient dates. This will be an important interaction among our Parliamentarians and will afford an opportunity to them to learn from each other.

6. In the area of S&T, I am happy to note that we have fulfilled our commitment of establishment of S&T Fund with initial contribution of US$ 1 million. We are working together to get this Fund operationalized at an early date.

7. In our efforts to significantly improve air connectivity in our region, we should see how close we can get to an "open skies" arrangement, while protecting legitimate concerns. This will have a long term and sustained impact on the economic cooperation in the region.

8. Agriculture is another sector on which we could focus. Hundreds of millions of our peoples are engaged in this sector. It has great economic, political and social significance for all our countries. We have our respective strengths in agro-technology including biotechnology, new and improved farming techniques, human resource development, agro-processing and marketing. I welcome the decision for future cooperation in the area which could develop into a concrete programme of action before the next Summit. Our scientists are ready to cooperate with their ASEAN colleagues in this vital endeavour.

9. We are working together to operationalise the Green Fund which aims to execute pilot projects to promote adaptation and mitigation technologies for sustainable development. We hope that a mutually agreed Final Project Implementation Plan can be drawn soon.

10. ASEAN and India are important source markets for each other from the tourism angle. The cooperation in the field of tourism between India and ASEAN through development of Joint Tourism Packages as recommended by the 11th meeting of Joint Cooperative Committee in April 2009 in New Delhi would help to facilitate seamless travel in the region and would also expand linkages to other sectors. We have together taken several initiatives in the area of tourism which need to be further strengthened to increase flow as well as to reap the benefits from tourism for the economic growth of the region. In this context, the contribution that will be made by the Open Skies Regime needs little emphasis.

11. In the areas of health and traditional medicine, we hope early finalization of concept note on cooperation in Health and Pharmaceuticals and MoU between Indian Department of AYUSH and ASEAN which have been submitted to ASEAN Secretariat and due to come up in the next Senior Officials Meeting in December 2009.

12. I am also happy to convey India's approval for the Digital Science and Technology Library Project at a cost of US $729,753/- in fulfillment of our Prime Minister's offer made at the 2nd ASEAN-India Summit.

13. I would once again urge the ASEAN countries to fully utilize the 50 scholarships in traditional medicine offered by our Department of AYUSH.

14. In working towards the goal of integrating India and ASEAN into one seamless market for goods, services and investment and encouraging the establishment of more production networks in the region, the possibility of a Roadmap for Rationalisation of Logistics Services may be explored.

Excellencies,

15. The threat to our countries from the menace of international terrorism has, unfortunately, increased in recent times. The terrorist attack on our financial capital, Mumbai, in 2008, leading to the loss of hundreds of innocent Indian and foreign lives shook not just our region, but the world as a whole, for the complete disregard of human decency.

16. Terrorism threatens democratic and open societies. International solidarity is necessary in order to combat this scourge effectively. We should unequivocally condemn terrorism; no cause or reasoning can be used to justify such acts. In this context, the early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on Terrorism being discussed in the United Nations is an immediate imperative.

17. In 2003, we adopted a Joint Declaration in Bali to cooperate in combating international terrorism. In the light of such terrorist attacks, it is appropriate that we exchange information and intelligence and develop more effective counter-terrorism initiatives, to enable sustainable development of our region.

18. The Millennium Development Goals adopted by Heads of States/Government at the UN Millennium Summit in September 2000 form a minimum core of development objectives that are a must for better quality of life for the human kind. It is particularly important that we do not lose sight of these objectives in the current economic downturn.

Regional structures

19. I may note the progress made by SAARC in bringing South Asian countries together over the last two decades. The SAARC development fund has made a promising beginning. SAARC countries have agreed on moving towards a South Asian Customs Union and Economic Union; established a SAARC Food Bank; are improving physical connectivity; and are establishing a South Asian university.

Excellencies,

20. Looking further ahead, India and ASEAN have prepared a common India-ASEAN Vision 2020 document, with its long-term strategic implications. It provides an excellent road map for realizing the potential of our relationship. Significance of ASEAN – India relationship as an important factor contributing to economic growth and stability of our region could hardly be overemphasized.

Thank you.

Phuket
July 22, 2009