India eyes strengthening relations with ASEAN: Foreign Minister
External Affairs Minister of India S. Jaishankar on March 27 expressed India’s intention to strengthen India-ASEAN relations, especially under Malaysia’s chairmanship of ASEAN next year when he paid a courtesy call to Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
External Affairs Minister of India S. Jaishankar on March 27 pays a courtesy call to Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. (Photo:thestar.com.my)
New Delhi (VNA) – External Affairs Minister of IndiaS. Jaish𝓰ankar on March 27 express🌱ed India’s intention to strengthen India-ASEANrelations, especially under Malaysia’s chairmanship of ASEAN next year when hepaid a courtesy call to Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Jaishankar, who is on a two-day official visit to Malaysia, alsoreiterated Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation to Anwar to visit India. During their meeting, Malaysian PM Anwar and the Indian diplomatexchanged views and discussed cooperation in the areas of trade, science andtechnology, education, agriculture, tourism, defence and digital, as well as regional issues including Myanmar, according to a statement issued by the PrimeMinister’s Office (PMO). According to PMO, Anwar committed to facilitating theestablishment of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) branch campus inMalaysia. He also appreciated Modifor assisting the country when Malaysia encountered a shortage of rice and hoped for further facilitation for the import of agricultural produce fromIndia. According to PMO, the Malaysian PM looks forward to visiting India soon, after India’s General Elections. India was Malaysia’s 12th largest trading partner last year withtotal trade reaching 16.53 billion USD./.
The ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) Joint Committee held its third meeting from February 16-19 in New Delhi to review and discuss changes to the agreement.
Vietnamese electric vehicle (EV) maker VinFast on February 25 broke ground for its integrated electric vehicle facility in Thoothukudi city, India’s Tamil Nadu state.
India and Thailand have pledged to strengthen their partnership at the 10th India-Thailand Joint Commission Meeting which was co-chaired by India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara, who is on an official visit to India from February 25-28.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Bank Indonesia (BI) on March 7 signed and exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a framework to promote the use of local currencies Indian rupee (INR) and Indonesian rupiah (IDR)). The MoU was signed in the presence of RBI governor Shaktikanta Das and Bank Indonesia Governor Perry Warjiyo.
The India – Vietnam Business Conference 2024 was held in Ho Chi Minh City on March 8, creating business cooperation opportunities for enterprises of both sides.
India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on March 25 met with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and some other leaders of Singapore, during which they discussed ways to further the strategic bilateral ties, and the situation in the Indo-Pacific and West Asia regions.
The Ministry of Commerce reported that imports also rose 18% to 29.9 billion USD during the same period, resulting in a trade surplus of 1.1 billion USD. In May alone, Thailand posted a 4.6 billion USD trade surplus with the US and a 4.1 billion USD trade deficit with China.
The World Bank will provide a 2.1 billion USD financing package for Indonesia, focusing oncreating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing access to clean energy across the country.
Member states also reviewed progress on six priority areas for 2025, including the development of an underground cable framework, the follow-up agreement to the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA), the launch of the ASEAN Energy Efficiency Database, and the rollout of an investment platform for sustainable building initiatives.
In March, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra met with Formula 1 chief Stefano Domenicali and said Thailand would commission a feasibility study into hosting a Grand Prix on a Bangkok street circuit from 2028.
The proposed giant sea wall aligns with bilateral cooperation and has been designated a national priority, considering that several regions in Indonesia are experiencing land subsidence of 10–15 centimetres per year.
International flights were cancelled including Jetstar and Virgin Australia flights to cities across Australia, and flights of Air India, Air New Zealand, Singapore's TigerAir and China's Juneyao Airlines.
The partnership aims to strengthen collaboration in the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources, including gold, copper, and manganese, as well as in the development of steel, aluminum, and renewable energy industries.
The Thai cabinet has approved a seven-year EV bus leasing scheme proposed by the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) for the capital, with an estimated cost of 15.35 billion THB (over 470 million USD).
Aircraft are prohibited from flying below 6,000 metres in the vicinity of the volcano, and should also remain alert to the presence of volcanic ash, which can disrupt flights.
Laos declared the transfer of the press management functions of five key media agencies and associated personnel to the Propaganda and Training Board of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee.
Univers said in a statement that the new centre will serve as a hub for innovation, bringing together digital intelligence and climate ambition to accelerate Sarawak's transition toward a low-carbon, tech-enabled economy.
The target is to be completely free from plastic waste within two years. This can only be achieved if all parties implement the initiative with strong discipline.
Indonesia is taking new steps to improve protections for fishery workers, amid concerns over low wages, harsh working conditions, and limited access to social welfare.
The 2025 ASEAN- the Republic of Korea (RoK) Connectivity Forum that opened in Jakarta on June 17 reaffirmed a shared commitment to shaping a connected, resilient future by advancing the ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan.
The desk will serve as a service centre providing market intelligence, business licensing guidance, facilitating business cooperation, identifying potential investment projects, and harmonising regulatory policies between the two parties.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim noted that the Asia-Pacific region accounted for half of global energy consumption and 60% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2024. Despite this, regional countries, including eight of ten ASEAN member states, remain committed to climate goals, including net-zero emissions and tripling global renewable capacity by 2030.
External Affairs Minister of India S. Jaishankar on March 27 pays a courtesy call to Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. (Photo:thestar.com.my) 
