On the afternoon of October 26, 2025, Politburo member and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, ASEAN leaders and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the 22nd ASEAN - India Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
At the conference, ASEAN countries welcomed India's new cooperation proposals and initiatives, including the ASEAN - India Digital Future Fund and a contribution of 5 million USD to support tourism cooperation within the framework of the ASEAN - India Tourism Cooperation Year 2025, contributing to promoting people-to-people exchanges and cultural connections.
The leaders also agreed to choose ASEAN - India Sea Cooperation as the theme for bilateral cooperation in 2026, aiming to expand cooperation in the fields of maritime security, marine science, blue marine economy, maritime transport connectivity and organizing the second ASEAN - India Joint Exercise in 2026.
The countries also proposed that India strengthen regional connectivity, including the completion and operation of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Tripartite Economic Corridor, aiming to expand this route to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Speaking at the conference, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized that India supports ASEAN's priorities on inclusion and sustainability, including emphasizing digital transformation cooperation, food security, sustainable supply chains and a green economy...
In his speech, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that Vietnam supports India in continuing to implement the "Eastward Acting" policy, enhancing comprehensive and substantive cooperation with ASEAN.
The Prime Minister emphasized that in the context of a rapidly changing and complex world, ASEAN and India - two strategic anchors connecting the Indian Ocean and Pacific with more than 2 billion people and a total GDP of nearly 8,000 billion USD - need to promote their role and sense of responsibility in promoting regional and inter-regional cooperation, promoting solidarity and multilateralism, and making practical contributions to peace and sustainable development.
To deepen the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the Prime Minister proposed three major orientations.
First, strengthen economic connectivity, promote comparative advantages for sustainable and inclusive development; promote the role of enterprises, especially small and medium enterprises; restructure the ASEAN - India Business Council; promote investment in high technology, renewable energy, infrastructure, logistics, AI and semiconductors; promote cooperation between the Mekong - Hang River sub-region to narrow the development gap.
Second, expand people-to-people exchanges, education, healthcare, cultural and tourism cooperation; develop high-quality human resources; increase exchanges of scholars, students and experts in the fields of smart agriculture, green technology and food security.
Third, promote marine cooperation, develop a green and sustainable marine economy; strengthen cooperation in transportation, science and marine industry; continue to support ASEAN's stance on the East Sea, ensure security, safety, freedom of navigation and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law, especially UNCLOS 1982.
At the end of the conference, the leaders adopted a Joint Statement on Sustainable Tourism, affirming their determination to promote substantive, inclusive and sustainable cooperation between ASEAN and India in the new period.
