Kathmandu— External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reaffirmed India's commitment to deepening ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Saturday, marking the 59th anniversary of the regional bloc. Through a statement released via social media, Jaishankar emphasized that the partnership is being strengthened across diverse sectors including connectivity, trade, digital linkages, and defense, guided by India's Act East Policy.

Strengthening Strategic Ties

The partnership between India and the 11-member bloc has evolved significantly since the two entities instituted sectoral dialogue relations in 1992. This relationship was officially elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022, covering a wide range of cooperative areas such as agriculture, energy, technology, and people-to-people exchanges.

Jaishankar expressed confidence that the India-ASEAN ties will continue to grow in both substance and ambition. He noted that the deepening relationship is expected to contribute to the peace, stability, and prosperity of the wider Indo-Pacific region.

Commemorating ASEAN Milestones

The 59th ASEAN Day celebrations, held under the theme 'Navigating Our Future, Together,' highlighted several major milestones for the organization. ASEAN Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn noted that the commemoration marks Timor-Leste becoming the bloc's 11th member state, the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, and the first year of the implementation of 'ASEAN Vision 2045: Our Shared Future.'

The event in Jakarta featured remarks from various regional leaders, including Philippine President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr and Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono.

Symbolic Illumination In New Delhi

To mark the anniversary in the Indian capital, the historic Qutub Minar was illuminated with the colors of the ASEAN flag. This event, organized by the Philippine Embassy in India, represents the first time ASEAN's symbols have been projected onto a major national monument of this scale.

Singapore's High Commissioner to India, Simon Wong, joined the celebrations, noting the significance of the illumination in highlighting the close partnership between ASEAN member states and India.

ASEAN currently represents a community of 11 nations with a combined population exceeding 700 million and a total GDP of over USD 4 trillion, making it the fifth largest economy in the world as a single unit.

(With inputs from (manual retry))

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.