New Delhi,
Carrying forward the message of ‘Act East to Act ASEAN’, the Modi government has rolled out the red carpet for heads of states and governments of the 10-member ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nation).

The leaders will participate tomorrow in the commemorative ASEAN-India summit 2018, marking 25 years of diplomatic ties and grace India’s 69th Republic Day celebrations as the collective chief guests.

The ASEAN heads will be received by President Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday morning and hosted for lunch along with their spouses. Post-lunch, the leaders will move into a retreat and have free flowing conversation on ‘Maritime Cooperation and Security’, in a message that will not be lost upon Beijing. The aim will be to boost regional security architecture in the face of an aggressive Beijing that has disputes with several ASEAN countries as it expands its maritime footprint in the resource rich South China Sea. The summit outcome document is likely to underline the need for freedom of navigation and international rules based order according to sources, referring to the Chinese aggression.

The leaders will also walk around Mughal Garden before shifting to a five-star hotel for commemorative stamps launch along with Prime Minister Modi. At the plenary session themed “Shared Values, Common Destiny”, Modi will deliver opening remarks along with his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong. Singapore, which played a key role in India’s dialogue partnership with ASEAN amid Chinese opposition in the nineties, is currently ASEAN Chair.

The leaders will also be given a tour of 20 paintings of ASEAN-India Artists’ Camp on display and be hosted for a cultural programme and banquet by the Prime Minister. Ahead of the summit meeting, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj inaugurated a ‘Bharat ASEAN Maitri Park’ along with the ASEAN secretary general.

India and ASEAN bilateral trade stood at US$ 71 billion in 2016-17. This is, though, just over 10% of India’s share of world trade. ASEAN is India’s fourth largest trading partner. Delhi has set target of bilateral trade at $200 billion by 2022. The ASEAN countries want India to boost physical and digital connectivity and focus on key areas as tourism, infrastructure. But the grouping is yet to hammer out a free-trade agreement with India.