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7th ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting

  • Posted By
    10Pointer
  • Categories
    World Affairs
  • Published
    28th Oct, 2022

Context

Recently, the 7th ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting (AIMMAF) on Agriculture and Forestry was held virtually.

  • The 7th ASEAN-India Ministerial meeting also welcomed the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-India relations.

Key-Highlights of the Meeting

  • India reiterated its vision of keeping the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at the center of India’s Act East Policy.
  • It also emphasized mutually close regional cooperation with ASEAN to ensure sustainable and inclusive growth for agricultural development in the region.
  • India also urged the ASEAN member countries to support its efforts in increasing the production, processing, value addition and consumption of millets.
    • This was highlighted while referring to the importance of millet (nutritional-cereals) as a nutritious food and the international nutritional-cereal year 2023.
    • Nutritious cereals help in the creation of nutritious, with low resource requirements and more efficient agri-food systems.
  • The progress in implementation of various programs and activities under the Medium Term Action Plan of ASEAN-India Cooperation (Year 2021-2025) was reviewed.
  • In the meeting, the commitment to ASEAN-India cooperation in agriculture and forestry was reaffirmed.
  • It was also agreed to take continuous measures under ASEAN-India cooperation for the implementation of post-pandemic recovery.
    • Seamless flow of safe and nutritious agricultural products to ASEAN and India in order to mitigate the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • India said it is committed to enhance its cooperation with ASEAN in food security, nutrition, climate change adaptation, digital farming, nature-friendly agriculture, food processing, value chain, agricultural marketing and capacity building.

India-ASEAN Economic Cooperation

  • ASEAN is India’s fourth largest trading partner.
  • The ASEAN-India Free Trade Area has been completed.
  • ASEAN India-Business Council (AIBC) was set up in 2003 to bring key private sector players from India and the ASEAN countries on a single platform.
  • Financial assistance has been provided to ASEAN countries from the following Funds:
    • ASEAN-India Cooperation Fund
    • ASEAN-India S&T Development Fund
    • ASEAN-India Green Fund
  • Delhi Declaration identifies cooperation in the Maritime Domain.
  • Delhi Dialogue: Annual dialogue for discussing politico-security and economic issues between ASEAN and India.
  • ASEAN-India Centre (AIC): To undertake policy research, advocacy and networking activities with organizations and think-tanks in India and ASEAN.
  • Political Security Cooperation: India places ASEAN at the centre of its Indo-Pacific vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region.

About ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)

  • It is a regional grouping that promotes economic, political, and security cooperation.
  • It was established in August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the founding fathers of ASEAN, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
  • Its chairmanship rotates annually, based on the alphabetical order of the English names of Member States.
  • ASEAN countries have a total population of 650 million people and a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of USD 2.8 trillion.
  • Commodity trade between India and ASEAN region has reached 98.39 billion in the period April 2021- February 2022.
    • India’s main trading ties are with Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand.

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