India-ASEAN ties upgraded to “comprehensive strategic partnership”

Phnom Penh [Cambodia], November 12 (ANI): India-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) ties have been upgraded to a “Comprehensive strategic partnership,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press briefing on Vice President’s visit to Cambodia.
“Earlier ASEAN-India’s relationship was designated as “Strategic partnership” but after today’s summit, it is called ‘Comprehensive strategic partnership’,” Saurabh Kumar, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs said.
Talking further about Vice president Jagdeep Dhankar’s participation in the 19th ASEAN India summit, Saurabh said that the India-ASEAN partnership would focus on practical cooperation in five areas, firstly, “Advanced Maritime cooperation in areas of maritime security, Disaster management, emergency response and relief and as well as through implementation of projects under ASEAN outlook of Indo-Pacific and Indo-Pacific Initiatives.”
Secondly, strengthen cooperation in cyber security, and fintech cooperation. The third one is to “enhance cooperation in the field of sustainable development with a focus on new and emerging tech in areas such as renewable energy, smart agriculture, city, health care and cooperation in the space sector.” Fourth is tourism and the last one is to work together on regional and global issues.
Vice President, who arrived in Cambodia on Friday, participated in the 19th ASEAN India summit which has been designated as the ASEAN-India commemorative summit, to mark the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-India relations.
In the ASEAN India summit, Dhankar reiterates the centrality of ASEAN in India’s vision of the Indo-Pacific. “He (Dhankar) noted that partnership with ASEAN is the key pillar of India’s Act East policy. He highlighted the imp of greater physical, digital and people-to-people connectivity between India and ASEAN. He underlined the need for greater cooperation in a shared journey of digital transformation through enhanced cooperation in smart cities and fintech,” Saurabh said.
Vice President Dhankar is in Cambodia to attend the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit and the 17th East Asia Summit.
The East Asia Summit has identified six priority areas of cooperation, namely environment and energy, education, finance, global health issues and pandemic diseases, natural disaster management, and ASEAN Connectivity. Plans of Action have been developed to promote cooperation in these priority areas.
The East Asia Summit also involves discussion of cooperation in other areas and emerging issues such as food security, trade and economics, maritime security and cooperation, and traditional and non-traditional security issues.
India has been for long associated with the restoration work of temples in Cambodia. Since 2003, the ASI has been working with local staff and workers on the restoration work of the temple, which is dedicated to Lord Brahma. (ANI)