Dr RK Ranjan highlights closeness of IPOI & AOIP visions
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, September 01 2022: Union minister for external affairs Dr RK Ranjan Singh has highlighted that India's vision for the In do-Pacific region, as reflected through Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), resonates closely with ASEAN's own Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).

As per a statement by Union Ministry of External Affairs, Union MoS Dr RK Ranjan delivered the keynote address at the opening session of International Conference on "Connecting East: Confluence of IPOI and AOIP Visions" at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi on Thursday.

The international conference is being organised by the Association of Asia Scholars in partnership with the Union Ministry of External Affairs, as part the on-go-ing ASEAN-India Friendship Year celebrations to mark 30 years of India's relationship with the ASEAN.

The three day international conference will see close to ten thematic sessions on multilateralism and connectivity - maritime, environmental, digital, social, education; with participation of scholars, leading think tanks and diplomats from the ASEAN member states and India.

During his address, Dr Ranjan called the conference as a continuation of dialogue, carrying forward discussions and agenda from the XII- Delhi Dialogue and the Special ASEAN-lndia Foreign Ministers Meeting hosted by India in June this year.

He urged the participants to explore and deliberate on implementation of the Joint Statement on AOIP adopted by the leaders of India and ASEAN during the last Summit.

Both AOIP and IPOI see Indo-Pacific as a closely integrated and inter-connected region and want to see a free, open and inclusive region that ensures security and growth for all in the region, he noted, while adding that Maritime Cooperation, Connectivity, Economic and Developmental Cooperation identified in the ASEAN Outlook are also priorities for India in the region.

The minister emphasised that the ongoing ASEAN-lndia partnership provides with a strong foundation to build up cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, guided by the synergy of AOIP and IPOI.

It can be mentioned that AOIP was adopted in 2019.It is a unified vision and strategy of the ten members grouping for the Indo-Pacific region.

Similarly, Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) was first suggested by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 14th East Asian Summit, with an aim to strengthen cooperation in maritime domain through collaboration of like-mined partners based on the principle of equality and sustainable use of maritime resources.

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