What PM Modi will get done during his 9-hour visit to Jakarta

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working against the time and has much to get done before the G20 Summit. He is in Jakarta today, where he will attend the ASEAN-India meet and East Asia Summit, before returning home the same evening for key bilateral talks with the leaders of three countries on 8 September. The PM will spend nine hours in Indonesia for back-to-back summits before returning in time to hold a bilateral meeting with US president Joe Biden ahead of the G20 Leadership Summit.  The Indian leader’s visit to Indonesia is one of his shortest-ever foreign trips. Let’s take a peek at the premier’s busy schedule ahead of the G20 Summit. From Jakarta to New Delhi, PM’s power-packed schedule Modi is having a busier-than-usual week. He participated in the meeting of council of ministers as well as the Cabinet on Wednesday. He held back-to-back meetings before leaving for Jakarta. He then flew to Jakarta on Wednesday night, spending about seven hours in the air before arriving at 3 am IST on 7 September. In Jakarta, he left for the venue of ASEAN-India Summit at 7am IST and participated in the meeting. At 8.45am IST, he took part in the East Asia Summit, officials said. Immediately after the meeting, he will emplane for Delhi at 11.45am IST and land around 6.45pm IST on Thursday. [caption id=“attachment_13088102” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Indonesia to attend the ASEAN-India and the East Asia summits during which he will engage with the leaders of the strategically important region on issues of regional and global importance. Image Courtesy: @narendramodi/X[/caption] On Thursday, PM Modi will hold important bilateral meetings with three countries, which includes a meeting with US president Joe Biden. Brief yet significant ASEAN visit Modi stated that the comprehensive strategic cooperation between India and ASEAN has given new vigour to the group’s ties with New Delhi, in a parting statement issued ahead of his visit. During his discussions with the leaders of the grouping’s countries, he said he was looking forward to addressing the future of India’s partnership with the grouping’s members. [caption id=“attachment_13088132” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Immediately after the ASEAN meetings, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will return to Delhi, where India is hosting the G20 Summit. Image Courtesy: @narendramodi/X[/caption] “I look forward to discussing with ASEAN leaders the future contours of our partnership, which has now entered its fourth decade. Engagement with ASEAN is an important pillar of India’s ‘Act East’ policy. The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership entered into last year has injected new dynamism in our ties," he said. The ASEAN-India Summit will be the first after relations between India and ASEAN were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022. The Summit will focus on the state of India-ASEAN relations and plan a course for future collaboration.

“Our focus has been on enhancing comprehensive connectivity with ASEAN in all aspects, including physical, digital, economic, and people-to-people. In August this year, India and Indonesia established direct flight connectivity through Indigo and Batik Air flights. We also have started direct flights with Vietnam,” said Secretary (East) Saurabh Kumar at a special media briefing here in New Delhi. “Earlier in February, Prime Minister, along with his Singapore counterpart, launched the real-time cross-border payment link between UPI and Singapore’s Pay Now. We are looking at ways to expand this to other ASEAN countries," he added. The 18th East Asia Summit After the ASEAN-India Summit, the Prime Minister will attend the 18th East Asia Summit. “This forum provides a useful opportunity to deliberate on issues of importance to the region including food and energy security, environment, health, and digital transformation."

The East Asia Summit will provide a chance for ASEAN leaders and its eight dialogue partners, including India, to express their perspectives on regional and global concerns. Along with Modi, the East Asian Summit will be attended by ASEAN leaders, US vice president Kamala Harris, Chinese premier Li Qiang, and Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. Modi’s visit to Indonesia comes ahead of the G20 Summit, which will be hosted in New Delhi on 9-10 September this year under India’s presidency. Indonesia is a member of the G20 ’troika’ as it had the presidency of the grouping last year. With inputs from PTI