India-ASEAN summit: Narendra Modi discusses defence, trade and security with Thailand and Singapore PMs

New Delhi: Ahead of the India-ASEAN summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held bilateral talks with his counterpart from Thailand Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha on strengthening cooperation in strategic areas of trade, defence and security. Modi also held a meeting with Singaporean prime minister Lee Hsien Loong, the current chair of the ASEAN grouping. External affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted, “Our ‘Act East’ complementing Thailand’s Act West policy! Prime Minister Modi met with PM of Thailand… Constructive dialogue on economic and commercial exchange, connectivity, defence & security, cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.”

Our #ActEast complementing Thailand's Act West policy! PM @narendramodi met with PM of Thailand Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha. Constructive dialogue on economic and commercial exchange, connectivity, defence & security, cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchanges #aseanindia pic.twitter.com/lVDc0yGOgX

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) January 25, 2018

On the eve of the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit to celebrate 25 years of India-ASEAN partnership, Modi had held separate bilateral meetings with Myanmar’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Rodrigo Duterte, president of the Philippines on Wednesday.