At the 22nd ASEAN-India Summit held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính outlined three key directions for enhancing the ASEAN–India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The first direction emphasized reinforcing economic connections and leveraging competitive strengths to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth.
This includes advancing the involvement of businesses, particularly small and medium enterprises, reorganizing the ASEAN–India Business Council, increasing investments in advanced technology, clean energy, infrastructure development, logistics, artificial intelligence, and semiconductor sectors, while strengthening Mekong–Ganga regional collaboration to reduce developmental disparities.
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The second approach focused on broadening interpersonal connections and collaboration across education, health, cultural, and tourism sectors. This encompasses developing skilled human capital and facilitating greater exchanges among academics, students, and specialists in fields like intelligent farming, environmental technology, and food safety.
The third orientation highlighted the importance of advancing maritime partnerships and fostering a sustainable ocean-based economy. This involves enhancing cooperation in sea transport, scientific research, and industrial sectors, while maintaining support for ASEAN's position regarding the East Sea to guarantee security, safety, and navigational freedom, along with peaceful resolution of conflicts through international legal frameworks, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
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Prime Minister Chính expressed great appreciation for India's significant role and contributions in fostering regional collaboration and strengthening the voice of developing nations on the international stage.
He reaffirmed Việt Nam's backing of India's ongoing pursuit of its "Act East" strategy and its initiatives to enhance comprehensive and meaningful partnerships with ASEAN.
He stressed that given the current landscape of swift and intricate global changes, ASEAN and India - serving as two "strategic pillars" that connect the Indian and Pacific Oceans, representing a combined population exceeding two billion people and a collective GDP approaching $8 trillion - must maintain their leadership roles and sense of duty in advancing regional and cross-regional collaboration, strengthening unity and multilateral approaches, and delivering tangible contributions to peace and sustainable progress.
The Prime Minister confirmed that Việt Nam would persist in working in close partnership with fellow ASEAN nations and India to advance meaningful cooperation and support peace, stability, and sustainable development throughout the region and globally.
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During the summit, both parties reached consensus on accelerating the review procedures to enhance the ASEAN–India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) toward establishing a more business-oriented, simplified, and efficient structure, thus facilitating trade, investment, and comprehensive, sustainable economic growth.