On Republic Day, Narendra Modi pens editorial on 'shared values, common destiny'; published in 27 ASEAN newspapers

In a historic first, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted the leaders of ten ASEAN nations for Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi. As they joined Modi to mark 25 years of India-ASEAN relations, the prime minister wrote an editorial which was published on Friday in 27 newspapers from the 10 ASEAN countries. The article reflected on the “shared values” and “common destiny” of India and ASEAN nations.

The newspapers include Indonesia’s Jakarta Post, Myanmar’s Global New Light of Myanmar, Singapore’s Strait Times and Malaysia’s The Star among others.

In the editorial , Modi wrote that he had the privilege to host the ASEAN leaders for the Commemorative Summit to mark 25 years of Asean-India partnership. He also lauded India’s partnership with southeast Asia, saying that it stretches back more than two millennia.

Focusing on India’s ‘Act East’ policy, he said, “For India, most of our major partners and markets — from ASEAN to East Asia to North America — lie to the East.”

As India looks for a more influential role in the Indo-Pacific region, the prime minister said, “Now, as before, the East, or the Indo-Pacific region, will be indispensable to India’s future and our common destiny.”

The prime minister also dwelled on India and ASEAN’s relationship. “ASEAN is India’s fourth-largest trading partner; India is ASEAN’s seventh. Over 20 percent of India’s outbound investments go to ASEAN. Led by Singapore, ASEAN is India’s leading source of investments,” he wrote.

He said a future of hope for India as well as Asean countries needed “the solid bedrock of peace” in an age of change, disruptions and shifts that comes only rarely in history.

Modi also talked about the Indian diaspora. He said that “the over six-million-strong Indian diaspora in the region — rooted in diversity and steeped in dynamism — constitutes an extraordinary human bond between us.”

India and ASEAN partnership will grow, he said, adding, “We have a common vision for the future, built on commitment to inclusion and integration, belief in sovereign equality of all nations irrespective of size, and support for free and open pathways of commerce and engagement.”

Modi said hosting 10 ASEAN leaders at the Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi was “no ordinary event”, but a historic milestone in a journey that has brought India and ASEAN in a “deepening partnership of great promise for their 1.9 billion people, about one-fourth of humankind”.

With inputs from IANS