India, ASEAN can contribute to emergence of new world order: S Jaishankar

Noting that the world was experiencing turbulence which along with pandemic has made the global outlook even more uncertain and complex, External Affairs S Jaishankar said on Thursday that India and ASEAN can make a real contribution to the evolution of the Indo-Pacific and even to the emergence of a new world order.

Noting that the world was experiencing turbulence which along with the pandemic has made the global outlook even more uncertain and complex, External Affairs S Jaishankar said on Thursday that India and ASEAN can make a real contribution to the evolution of the Indo-Pacific and even to the emergence of a new world order. Speaking at the 12th session of the Ministerial Session of the Delhi Dialogue, Jaishankar said that the global scenario, including the situation in Afghanistan and Myanmar and the conflict in Ukraine, highlights the need for Indo-Pacific countries to stand together.

During the event, Jaishankar underlined the importance that India attaches to its relations with ASEAN as exemplified through its Act East Policy and the centrality of the ASEAN regional grouping in its vision for the wider Indo-Pacific. "The world is currently experiencing turbulence, which along with the consequences of the pandemic has made the global outlook even more uncertain and complex. Developments in our own region also have had those implications, whether we speak of Afghanistan or Myanmar," the minister said.

"Further away, the conflict in Ukraine is exasperating concern over food, fertilizer and fuel security. This global scenario highlights the need for the countries of the Indo-Pacific to enhance their cooperation and stand together," Jaishankar said. Underlining the key role of India-ASEAN ties, the external affairs minister said the two sides contribute to the ongoing rebalancing of the global order. "We are driven by rising consumer class, a strong start-up ecosystem, growing internet economy and robust demographic dividend."

Jaishankar further said, "From the Indian perspective, ASEAN lies at the centre of the Indo-Pacific, geographically, culturally and strategically. ASEAN centrality is self-evident especially as its architecture has such wide coverage." The ASEAN Foreign Ministers, ASEAN Secretary-General and Representatives of Foreign Ministers along with Dr Jaishankar today addressed the Ministerial Session of the twelfth edition of Delhi Dialogue (DDXII) which focuses on 30 years of ASEAN-India relations with the theme 'Building Bridges in the Indo-Pacific'.

Launched in 2009, Delhi Dialogue is India's premier annual Track 1.5 Dialogue, which aims to strengthen ASEAN-India relations in the context of the contemporary global and regional scenario. India hosted ASEAN Foreign Ministers and Secretary-General for a Special ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers' Meeting (SAIFMM) to commemorate 30 years of ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations.

The SAIFMM was co-chaired by EAM Jaishankar and Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Singapore. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a grouping of 10 member countries - Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and India. (ANI)

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