Modi to attend 21st Asean-India summit in Laos this week

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave for Laos capital Vientiane for a two-day visit, starting Thursday, at the invitation of his Laotian counterpart, Sonexay Siphandone.

Modi is visiting the central Southeast Asian country to attend the 21st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)-India summit and the 19th East Asia Summit.

Laos, officially the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (LPDR), is bordered by Myanmar, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. It is also the current chair of Asean.

The country’s strategic importance to India stems from its geographical location and its support for India’s bid for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

Last month, India provided $100,000 in humanitarian assistance under Operation Sadbhav to Laos following flooding caused by Typhoon Yagi, which affected 140,000 people and severely damaged agriculture in central and northern regions.

The last Indian Prime Minister to visit Laos was Manmohan Singh in 2004, when he attended the 10th Asean Summit.

This year marks a decade of India’s Act East Policy, with Asean relations being central to this policy and India’s Indo-Pacific vision, making PM Modi’s visit to Laos significant.

The Asean-India Summit will review progress in the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and chart future cooperation.

The East Asia Summit provides a forum for leaders, including India, to exchange views on regional issues and build strategic trust.

Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings on the summit’s sidelines.