The Prime Minister (PM) participated in the 19th East Asia Summit (EAS) in Vientiane, Lao PDR on 11 October 2024. The Prime Minister emphasized ASEAN’s central role in India’s Indo-Pacific vision and the Indo-Pacific regional architecture in Quad cooperation. He underlined that India’s participation in the East Asia Summit is an important pillar of its Act East Policy. Noting that a free, open, inclusive, prosperous and rules-based Indo-Pacific is crucial for peace and development in the region, he spoke of the convergence and common vision between India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans initiative and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. He said that the region should adopt a development-based approach rather than an expansionist approach. The Prime Minister on this occasion invited the EAS countries to the Higher Education Heads Conference to be held at Nalanda University. They also exchanged views on regional and international issues affecting peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. Underlining the grave impact of conflicts on the Global South, the Prime Minister highlighted that dialogue and diplomacy based on a human approach must be adopted for peaceful resolution of conflicts in the world. No solution can be found on the battlefield. The Prime Minister said that terrorism along with cyber and maritime challenges are serious threats to global peace and security, which countries must combat together. The Prime Minister thanked the Prime Minister of Laos for successfully hosting the East Asia Summit.
