PM Lee to co-chair Asean-India commemorative summit

SINGAPORE — Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will attend and co-chair the two-day Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean)-India Commemorative Summit in India starting on Thursday (Jan 25).

“As Asean Chair for 2018, PM Lee will co-chair the commemorative summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” said the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in a statement on Wednesday.

Mr Lee will arrive in India from Sri Lanka following a three-day official visit where Singapore and Colombo signed a bilateral free trade agreement — the first comprehensive one for the South Asian nation — to boost commerce, trade, and investments between the two nations.

At the commemorative summit in New Delhi, themed “Shared Values, Common Destiny”, the regional leaders will take stock of Asean-India ties and discuss ways to further strengthen them, the PMO said.

The leaders will also exchange views on regional and international issues at the summit, which marks the 25th anniversary of Asean-India dialogue relations.

The Times of India reported earlier this month that the summit will be an occasion for India to showcase itself as an attractive alternative to China, which is flexing its muscles in the region.

“India will emphasise that it is attuned to what is believed to be the ‘Asean way of doing business’ and committed to the idea of the ‘centrality’ of Asean,” it said.

In another report, New Delhi-based The Hindu newspaper said the Asean leaders will be given a detailed presentation on India’s connectivity and maritime security plans by Mr Modi.

Citing sources, the report said it was for India to “catch up” with China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by enhancing its own connectivity to the region with road and port projects.

Mr Modi will also give a detailed update on some of India’s ongoing projects currently in Asean countries, such as the India-Thailand trilateral highway, which runs from Manipur to Bangkok via Myanmar.

“PM Lee and other Asean leaders have also been invited to attend India’s 69th Republic Day Parade on Jan 26 as chief guests,” said the PMO statement.

Mr Modi was reported by the Indian media as saying on Dec 31 that the Republic Day celebration would be “remembered through the ages” because New Delhi would host leaders of all Asean countries as chief guests for the first time.

“This time, not one but 10 chief guests would grace the Republic Day. This is unprecedented in India’s history,” he had said.