Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a comprehensive 10-point action plan on Thursday at the 21st ASEAN-India Summit in Vientiane, Laos, charting the next phase of economic, digital, and strategic cooperation between New Delhi and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Addressing regional leaders as India celebrates the tenth anniversary of its 'Act East Policy', Modi emphasized that ASEAN centrality remains at the heart of India's Indo-Pacific vision.
Highlighting the rapid expansion of economic engagement over the past decade, Modi noted that two-way trade between India and the ASEAN region has more than doubled to surpass $130 billion, while direct flight connectivity and maritime corridors have multiplied. To unlock further commercial potential, the Prime Minister called for completing the long-awaited review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) within a time-bound framework by 2025 to make the pact more user-friendly, simple, and trade-facilitative for businesses.
Key Pillars of the 10-Point Plan: Tourism, Digital Future, and AITIGA Trade Review
Under the newly announced 10-point roadmap, Modi declared 2025 as the 'ASEAN-India Year of Tourism', committing $5 million toward joint promotional campaigns and cultural heritage exchanges. He also announced the creation of a $5 million ASEAN-India Fund for Digital Future alongside a joint statement on Advancing Digital Transformation, which will share India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) stack—including unified payments and digital identity—across Southeast Asia.
Education, climate resilience, and public health featured prominently in the remaining pillars. Modi announced that the number of scholarships for ASEAN students at Nalanda University will be doubled, while new fellowships will be established at Indian agricultural universities. Additionally, India will provide $5 million to strengthen disaster resilience, launch a regular ASEAN-India Cyber Policy Dialogue, institutionalize a Health Ministers' track for pandemic preparedness, and host an ASEAN-India Women Scientists Conclave.
“The 21st century is the Asian century for India and ASEAN nations. Over the past decade our trade has doubled past $130 billion, and our 10-point plan will anchor regional peace and prosperity.” — Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India
A Decade of Act East Policy and Shared Indo-Pacific Vision
Leaders at the Vientiane summit adopted two landmark outcome documents: a Joint Statement on Strengthening the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace, Stability and Prosperity in the Region—linking India's Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) with the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP)—and a Joint Statement on Advancing Digital Transformation.
On the sidelines of the summit hosted by Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Modi held bilateral meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, and several Southeast Asian counterparts, reaffirming commitments to freedom of navigation, resilient supply chains, and peaceful resolution of maritime disputes in accordance with international law.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 10-point ASEAN-India plan?
The 10-point plan designates 2025 as the ASEAN-India Year of Tourism ($5 million allocation), creates a $5 million Fund for Digital Future, doubles scholarships at Nalanda University, and fast-tracks the AITIGA trade agreement review by 2025.
How much has trade between India and ASEAN grown over the past decade?
Since the launch of India's Act East Policy a decade ago, bilateral trade between India and the 10-nation ASEAN bloc has more than doubled to exceed $130 billion annually.
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