MODI TO HEAD FOR MANILA ON SUNDAY

NEWDELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave for Manila on Sunday on a three-day visit to attend the India-Asean (a grouping of 10 East Asian countries) and East Asia summits. Modi is expected to meet US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the summit, besides holding talks with the President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of India-Asean (Association of South East Asian Countries). This grouping of 10 countries accounts for over 10% of India’s external trade. India and ASEAN countries have a combined GDP of $3.8 billion. Apart from the political discussion on freedom of navigation and counter terrorism cooperations, the meetings are expected to draw a road map for boosting regional trade and investments.

The investment in India from the Asean countries is $17 billion and Indian investment in these countries are over $40 billion. “With this, India would have undertaken high-level visits at the level of President, Vice-President and Prime Minister to all 10 Asean members — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam — in the past three years,” Priti Saran, secretary (East) in the external affairs ministry, told reporters.

She said India attaches a great deal of importance to deepening relations with ASEAN member states in particular and with the countries in Indo-Pacific region in general. Modi will also attend the special celebrations to mark 50th anniversary of the Asean’s formation, a meeting of the leaders of the countries of the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and an Asean Business and Investment Summit. RCEP is a proposed free trade agreement between the ASEAN countries and six other countries — Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand, who together make for East Asia summit.