New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has said that the world is “experiencing turbulence” in more ways than one, and in the given situation, it is imperative for the Indo-Pacific to enhance cooperation and stand together.
“Developments in our own region too have had their implications, whether we speak of Afghanistan or of Myanmar. Further away, the conflict in Ukraine is exacerbating concerns over food, fertilizer and our fuel security. This global scenario highlights the need for countries of the Indo-Pacific to enhance cooperation and, in fact, to stand together,” Dr Jaishankar said, delivering a keynote address at the Ministerial Session of the Delhi Dialogue -12 here on Thursday (June 16).
He pointed out that the world is currently “experiencing turbulence which, along with the consequences of the pandemic, has made the global outlook even more uncertain and complex.”
Dr Jaishankar, however, maintained, “We may be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the ASEAN-India Partnership. But the fact is, our relationship is deeply rooted in history and civilization, with trade and travel intrinsic to our cultures.”
In the context of the contemporary era, he said India’s Act East Policy has clearly been the bedrock of the ASEAN-India Partnership.
“ASEAN, in fact, holds a unique value as a confluence of our Act East policy and our Neighbourhood First policies,” he said.
The Minister maintained that while India-ASEAN ties are built on the foundation of history, geography and culture, there is immense potential for growth, prosperity, stability and development.
“Our ability together to expand our collaboration, adding more facets and making it more intense, has a resonance far beyond. We can make a real contribution to the evolution of the Indo-Pacific, and I daresay even to the emergence of a new world order,” he said
On India-China ties, he said, it is natural that ASEAN members would have an interest in relations between India and China.
“So let me be clear that development of our ties has to be based on three mutuals: mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutuality of interests. The state of the border will be reflected on the state of the relationship,” he said candidly.
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