 |
| Image: Flickr User - MEAphotogallery |
By Ankit Panda
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the 2015 ASEAN-India and East Asia Summit in Malaysia.
It’s late November and Asian summitry is in the air. India, which has long sought to “Look East” and, of late, has sought to “Act East,” won’t be left on the sidelines. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi left on a trip to Malaysia and Singapore on Friday to attend two important summits: the ASEAN-India and East Asia Summits. Modi will also meet with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak to discuss bilateral issues in India-Malaysia relations. In Singapore, Modi will focus on building private sector interest in investment opportunities in India and tout his “Make in India” initiative, which aims to bolster India’s manufacturing sector.
Modi’s four-day visit will be closely watched by observers back home, given the broad economic and security agenda. Ahead of his trip, the Indian prime minister noted that the summits in Malaysia will focus on “pressing security issues.” “The looming threat of terror and the prevailing situation in West Asia will also be a part of the discussions,” he added. The East Asia Summit (EAS) is one of the broadest Asia-Pacific summits to take place every year, including 18 countries from both within and outside the region. Notably, the United States and Russia participate in the summit. India is a founding member of the summit, which first convened in 2005.
Read the full story at The Diplomat