31 Mar 2021
JAKARTA, 31 March 2021 – ASEAN and India reaffirmed their commitment to advance their Strategic Partnership at the 21st ASEAN-India Joint Cooperation Committee Meeting held via videoconference today.
The meeting noted the overall progress in the implementation of the ASEAN-India Plan of Action (2016-2020). Both sides reiterated their commitment towards the full and effective implementation of the new Plan of Action for 2021-2025 to further strengthen and deepen ASEAN-India cooperation over the next five years.
As an effort to enhance the management and execution of the joint programmes/projects funded through ASEAN-India Fund (AIF) and the ASEAN-India Green Fund (AIGF), ASEAN and India agreed to establish an ASEAN-India Project Management Unit (AIPMU) and adopted its Terms of Reference and members.
Both sides adopted the updated Rules of Procedures of the AIF and AIGF to improve the management and utilisation of the funds to finance joint programmes/projects.
ASEAN appreciated India’s contribution of USD 1 million to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund. They also exchanged views on possible collaboration on Research and Development of COVID-19 diagnostics, vaccines, and treatment; health and pharmaceutical products; and post-pandemic economic recovery including on maintaining global supply chains.
The meeting also deliberated on a number of other initiatives for enhancing cooperation in various areas of mutual benefits, such as; transnational crime, maritime security, trade and investment, energy, finance, science and technology, and digital economy/4th Industrial Revolution.
Other areas of cooperation to enhance include; education, sustainable development, biodiversity, blue economy, smart cities, connectivity, Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET), women empowerment, people-to-people contacts and narrowing development gap in ASEAN.
The Chargé d’Affaires of Thailand’s Permanent Mission to ASEAN Kittisak Klomchit and Ambassador-designate of India to ASEAN Jayant N Khobragade co-chaired the meeting. Members of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN and the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Political- Security Community and their respective delegations were also in attendance.
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Source: ASEAN Secretariat
