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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday reaffirmed India's full commitment to ensure a peaceful, progressive and prosperous future for the region and furthering maritime cooperation at the 20th East Asia Summit (EAS) in Kuala Lumpur.
Jaishankar, in his address on Monday, said that "India values EAS' contribution to peace, progress and prosperity" and looked forward to the positive outcomes of the Summit. He said that India "fully supports" the activities and future direction of the East Asia Summit. "We recently hosted the EAS knowledge exchange workshop on energy efficiency policies and a conclave of higher educational institutions," the EAM said. Jaishankar also conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's greetings at the start of his address on the EAS's 20th anniversary. "Conveying the warmest greetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to EAS on its 20th anniversary", EAM said. Highlighting India's focus on maritime security and connectivity, Jaishankar said that the country's commitment remains strong under the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). He also announced that 2026 will be observed as the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation, underscoring New Delhi's vision for a peaceful and inclusive Indo-Pacific. "Our commitment to furthering maritime cooperation remains strong, in line with the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and our shared commitment to the 1982 UNCLOS. 2026 will be observed as the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation. Notably, more nations have joined the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative, " Jaishankar said. On the situation in Myanmar, Jaishankar said India had acted as a "first responder" after the March earthquake and remains committed to projects that promote regional connectivity, including the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway. He also expressed concern about the growing issue of cyber scam. "We share the concern about cyber scam centres in the region which has also entrapped our nationals,"the EAM said. Speaking on Gaza peace and the Ukraine conflict, Jaishankar said wars around the world are causing deep human suffering and welcomed efforts toward peace in Gaza and called for an early resolution of the conflict in Ukraine. "We are also witnessing conflicts that have significant repercussions, near and far. Deep human suffering apart, they undermine food security, they threaten energy flows and they disrupt trade. India, therefore, welcomes the Gaza peace plan. We also seek an early end to the conflict in Ukraine," the EAM said in the statement. Reiterating India's firm stance on terrorism, Jaishankar said the world must act with unity and clarity. "Terrorism poses a continuous and corrosive threat. The world must display zero tolerance; there is no room for ambivalence. Our right of defence against terrorism can never be compromised," he stated. Jaishankar concluded by reaffirming India's faith in the East Asia Summit as a pillar of regional peace and prosperity. India values EAS's contribution to peace, progress, and prosperity. We look forward to the positive outcomes of this summit," he said. The 20th East Asia Summit gathered leaders from 19 countries, including ASEAN members, India, the United States, China, Japan, and Australia, to discuss regional cooperation, economic stability, and global security challenges. Marking the summit's 20th anniversary, leaders are reviewing the progress of EAS cooperation and reflecting on its achievements, focusing on strategic, political, and economic priorities to promote peace, stability, and prosperity across East Asia. This year's summit also features the Presidents of Brazil and South Africa as Guests of the ASEAN Chair, in recognition of their positions as the current Chairs of BRICS and the G20, respectively. Their participation underscores the growing engagement between ASEAN and other key global groupings. Later in the evening, Jaishankar will attend the gala dinner hosted by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and First Lady Wan Azizah Wan Ismail for world leaders around 9 pm (llocal time) Alongside the East Asia Summit, Malaysia is hosting the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, the 3rd AZEC Leaders' Meeting, and the 5th RCEP Summit. (ANI)
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