A joint statement issued at the end of two-hour long discussions at the commemorative summit
India and 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) grouping here on Thursday reaffirmed commitment to work closely together on common regional and international security issues of mutual concern and ensure an open, transparent, inclusive and rules-based regional architecture to ensure peace, stability, maritime safety and freedom of navigation and overflight in the region. A joint statement issued at the end of two-hour long discussions at the commemorative summit, leaders gave a tough message to China by asserting unimpeded lawful maritime commerce and to promote peaceful resolutions of disputes, in accordance with universally recognised principles of international law. "In this regard, we support the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and look forward to an early conclusion of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC)," the statement said.
They also decided to deepen cooperation in combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, violent extremism and radicalisation through information sharing, law enforcement cooperation and capacity building under the existing ASEAN-led mechanisms. In addition, they also agreed to strengthen cooperation and collaboration to combating other transnational crimes, including people smuggling, trafficking in persons, illicit drug trafficking, cybercrime, and piracy and armed robbery against ships.
The leaders also decided to collaborate in peaceful exploitation of outer space, through the implementation of the ASEAN-India Space Cooperation Programme, including launching of satellites, their monitoring through Telemetry Tracking and Command Stations and usage of satellite image data for sustainable exploitation of ground, sea, atmospheric and digital resources for equitable development of the region, as well as explore cooperation in R&D in emerging space technologies such as small satellites, inter-satellite communications, satellite propulsion, and analytics for space data. They reaffirmed commitment to enhance physical and digital connectivity in line with the MPAC 2025 and the AIM 2020 by, among others, availing of the US$1 billion line of credit announced by India to promote physical infrastructure and digital connectivity. In the sphere of connectively, they decided to encourage the early completion of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway Project and extend this Trilateral Highway to Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam.
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