Vientiane [Laos], October 11 : India has decided to nearly double scholarships for ASEAN students for Nalanda University, Secretary East in the Ministry of External Affairs, Jaideep Mazumdar announced on Friday.
While addressing a special press briefing on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Laos, Mazumdar stated that India has emphasised that secure, resilient and reliable supply chains are an important aspect of ties with ASEAN nations.
He said, "Another important initiative is the ASEAN-India Women's Scientist Conclave, which we have decided to institutionalize and we fund this from the ASEAN India Science and Technology Development Fund. We will also have the number of scholarships from Nalanda University will be nearly doubled for ASEAN students. And we emphasized also that secure, resilient, and reliable supply chains are an important aspect of our relations with ASEAN countries."
"And for that we will also expedite our discussions on the review of the ASEAN-India Free Trade and Goods Agreement by 2025. We will also contribute USD 5 million towards disaster resilience and the National Disaster Management and the ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance have a working relationship and an MOU and they will work together on this. In the field of health, we will institute a new health ministers track and also a cooperative framework for ASEAN countries to tap India's national cancer grid, Vishwam," he further said.
Jaideep Mazumdar said that PM Modi invited ASEAN leaders to join the tree plantation campaign of planting a tree for mother. Earlier in June, PM Modi had launched the tree plantation campaign Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam (one tree for mother) at Buddha Jayanti Park.
"Towards climate resilience, the Prime Minister invited ASEAN leaders to join the campaign to plant a tree for mother 'one tree for mother'," he said.
Speaking about the two initiatives adopted at the leaders level at the ASEAN-India Summit, Mazumdar stated, "The 21st ASEAN-India Summit adopted two declarations, two statements at the leader level. One was a statement on the Act East policy and its contribution to the ASEAN-India relations, the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership that we have, and another on advancing digital transformation in the region."
"As you know, Singapore has been our coordinator in ASEAN for the past three years, and the Prime Minister appreciated Singapore's role in this, and also welcomed the fact that Philippines will be our coordinator as we go forward for the next three years," he added.
MEA Secretary said that PM Modi, while addressing the East Asia Summit, conveyed India's support for ASEAN unity and centrality.
Mazumdar said, "At the East Asia Summit today morning, the Prime Minister conveyed India's support for ASEAN unity and centrality and ASEAN's importance as a central pillar of our own Indo-Pacific vision and of Quad cooperation. And that the East Asia Summit is an important pillar also of India's Act-East policy."
He also spoke about the developmental partnership shared by India and Laos. MEA Secretary said that India and US engage in capacity building and humanitarian assistance extended by India at the time of calamities, typhoons and landslides in the past.
Highlighting the ties between India and Laos, Jaideep Mazumdar said, "We have very very positive developmental partnership with Lao PDR. We engage in capacity building and as you know humanitarian assistance during calamities and typhoons and landslides we have helped in the past. We also have defence cooperation in terms of training that we have had in the past and we look forward to continuing that as well."
"And so these are all different ways in which we engage with the Lao PDR and the number of students from Lao PDR are there studying in, for example, in Nalanda University and elsewhere. And we are opening up our premier institutions in India for scholarships for students from ASEAN. So, one new area we have opened up is the field of agriculture. So, that is another area that students from Lao PDR can participate in. And overall, the cultural and heritage links that we have with Lao PDR are very significant, which contributes a great deal towards our people-to-people connect that we have," he said.
Prime Minister Modi was on a two-day visit to Laos from October 10-11. He visited Laos at the invitation of Laos counterpart Sonexay Siphandone.
He participated in the 21st ASEAN-India and the 19th East Asia Summits and held meetings with leaders from Laos, Thailand, and New Zealand.
He also met with other top leaders like South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, and the newly elected Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
Upon his arrival, the Prime Minister was welcomed by the Minister of Home Affairs of Laos, Vilayvong Bouddakham. He was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour in Laos capital city of Vientiane.
Following that, he interacted with Indian diaspora in Vientiane. He greeted Indian community members as they were excited to meet him outside the hotel in Laos.