PM Modi meets Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on sidelines of 35th ASEAN summit in Bangkok

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held a delegation-level meeting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the 35th ASEAN Summit in Thailand.

The meeting was attended by external affairs minister (EAM) S Jaishankar, commerce, and industry minister Piyush Goyal and other dignitaries.

The press release issued by the Prime Minister's Office stated, "The leaders welcomed the increasing economic engagement between the two countries, propelled by high-level exchanges. The leaders also reviewed the progress on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project and reaffirmed their commitment to advance mutual efforts to facilitate the smooth implementation of the project.

"Prime Minister Modi said that he eagerly looked forward to welcoming Prime Minister Abe in India next month for India-Japan Annual Summit. He also said that he was convinced of the success of the forthcoming Annual Summit in further deepening the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership," the press release further stated.

Both the Prime Ministers also strengthened their commitment towards a "free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region."

He will also attend several bilaterals with Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

The Prime Minister will also take part in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Summit to review trade negotiations currently going on in Bangkok. RCEP is a trade agreement among 10 ASEAN countries which includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Laos and Vietnam and their six FTA partners China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.

On Sunday, Modi met the President of Indonesia Joko Widodo and the Prime Minister of Thailand Prayut Chan-o-Cha on the sidelines of 35th ASEAN Summit, 14th East Asia Summit(EAS) and 16th India-ASEAN Summit.

During the meeting with his Thai counterpart, both leaders reviewed the progress made in the bilateral relationship and noted that frequent high-level meetings and exchanges at all levels have created positive momentum in the relationship.

The Prime Minister on Saturday also addressed ‘Sawasdee PM Modi’ community programme in Bangkok where hundreds of members of the Indian diaspora in Thailand participated in the event.

Modi, who is currently on his 3-day visit to Bangkok, participated in various ASEAN related Summits including the ASEAN-India Summit, East Asia Summit and also held meetings with world leaders to discuss important bilateral and global issues.  

Modi is set to leave Bangkok from Don Mueang International Airport to Delhi at 10 pm today.