February 18, 2016

• The Ministerial Session of the eighth edition of Delhi Dialogue, the pre-eminent annual Track 1.5 dialogue process for brainstorming on all aspects of the ASEAN-India relationship, took place in the evening of 18 February 2016 at New Delhi.
• Smt. Sushma Swaraj, Hon’ble Minister of External Affairs hosted the Session, which was attended by H.E. Mr. Sofian Djalil, Minister for National Development Planning and Head of National Development Planning Agency of Indonesia; H.E. U Tin Oo Lwin, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar; H.E. Mr. Virasakdi Futrakul, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Thailand; H.E. Mr. Le Hoai Trung, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam; H.E. Mr. Somchith Inthamith, Vice Minister of Industry & Commerce of Lao PDR; H.E. Mr. Vikram Nair, Member of Parliament of Singapore and Chairman of the Singapore-India Parliamentary Friendship Group; Dr. AKP Mochtan, Deputy Secretary General for Community & Corporate Affairs, ASEAN Secretariat; and Heads of Delegations from Malaysia, Philippines, Cambodia and Brunei. In addition Mr. T.R. Zeliang, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Nagaland; and Mr. Lal Thanhawla, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Mizoram participated. H.E. Shri. Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister for Communications & Information Technology; and Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Culture, also attended.
• In her keynote address Hon'ble EAM observed that 2017 would be a special year for ASEAN and the ASEAN-India partnership as ASEAN would celebrate its golden jubilee and India and ASEAN would be commemorating the silver anniversary of their partnership.She remarked that through its 'Act East Policy', India has been giving a renewed focus to its engagement with ASEAN and other friends in the East. Since Prime Minister Modi's government came to power in May 2014, the President, Vice President and Prime Minister of India have visited 9 out of 10 ASEAN countries. She mooted the idea of an ASEAN-India economic community and expressed hope that a balanced and ambitious Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement would be concluded this year, giving a further boost to our economic and commercial engagement with ASEAN and the wider Asia-Pacific. EAM also announced that an ASEAN Studies Centre would be inaugurated very soon at the North-Eastern Hill University in Shillong.
• H.E. Sofyan A. Djalil, Minister for National Development Planning of Indonesia and Head of National Development Planning Agency highlighted the need to enhance maritime connectivity and development of global value chains.
• A panel discussion on 'Connectivity: Creating Pathways to a Shared Future' was held with Chief Minister of Nagaland, Mr. T.R. Zeliang, Chief Minister of Mizoram, Mr. Lal Thanhawla; H.E. U Tin Oo Lwin, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar, H.E. Mr. Virasakdi Futrakul, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Thailand, and Dr. AKP Mochtan, Deputy Secretary General, ASEAN Secretariat participating. All concurred on the key role of connectivity as an enabler for prosperity, growth, peace and people-2-people contacts.
• A second panel on 'ASEAN Economic Community and India: Integrating Regional Value Chains and Production Networks' saw H.E. Mr. Le Hoai Trung, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, H.E. Mr. Somchith Inthamith, Vice Minister of Industry & Commerce of Lao PDR, H.E. Mr. Kan Pharidh, Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,Cambodia and H.E. Mr. Vikram Nair, Member of Parliament of Singapore and Chairman of the Singapore-India Parliamentary Friendship Group speak, along with Ambassador of the Republic of Philippines to India, H.E MA. Teresita C. Daza. The productive debate generated fresh ideas on ways to deepen economic engagement and to take the relationship forward.
• Dr. Jyotsna Suri, Immediate Past President of FICCI delivered the welcome remarks and the panel discussions concluded with a vote of thanks by Mr. Jayant Prasad,Director General, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA).
• The Ministerial Session was attended by over 200 delegates from ASEAN countries and India.
• The Ministerial Session was preceded by a Business Session on 17 February 2016 and will be followed by an Academic Session on 19 February 2016 at IDSA, New Delhi.
• Further details are available on the Ministry's Press Release of 15 February 2016.

New Delhi
February 18, 2016