Leaders of 10 ASEAN nations gather for 25th year commemorative summit; security issues to be focus of meetings
Symbolism and ceremony will mark the 25th year commemorative summit of the ASEAN-India dialogue partnership on Thursday, but officials say security issues in the Indo-Pacific will be the focus of discussions among the 10 leaders of the Association of South East Asian Nations and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.“Maritime Cooperation & Security”, the theme during the Leaders’ Retreat, will find “prominent mention” in the joint statements, said officials involved in the planning. It is understood that Vietnam, which is tasked with drafting the statement, and India have both been keen on cooperation on Freedom of Navigation, access to waterways and countering piracy on the high seas as a key part of the Delhi Declaration, which would be seen as a strong message to China.
The 10 leaders of the ASEAN countries began arriving on Wednesday beginning with the Prime Minister of Vietnam, Nguyen Phuc, and then followed by the Prime Ministers of Cambodia, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Laos, the
