India-Asean relationship free from contests & claims: PM Modi

NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi left no stone unturned to expand India’s diplomatic ties in the Southeast Asia. He not only hosted all the ASEAN leaders as chief guests on the Republic Day, but also wrote an opinion pieces in 27 newspapers from 10 ASEAN countries.

Modi dedicated a significant part of his article in highlighting the ties that India shares with the ASEAN nations in the areas of trade and security.

“We work together to keep our seas safe and secure. Our trade and investment flows have multiplied several times. Asean is India’s fourth-largest trading partner,” writes Modi in his opinion piece.

Not only has he mentioned about the significance of ASEAN nations for India but has also written about the significance of India for ASEAN nations as well. “India’s free trade agreements in the region are its oldest and among the most ambitious anywhere,” reads the articles, adding that the growing connectivity has made ‘India among the fastestgrowing sources of tourism in South-east Asia’.

The PM’s article gives a special mention to Singapore. He writes, “Singapore is a window to the heritage of India’s ties to the region, the progress of the present and the potential of the future. Singapore was a bridge between India and ASEAN.” Modi wrote that India and ASEAN nations ‘have relations free from contests and claims’.