VOI World/ Desk
India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a series of bilateral meetings with counterparts from Japan, Malaysia, Brazil and Brunei on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summit and the 20th East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur.
In his discussions, Jaishankar emphasised India’s commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and highlighted issues such as supply-chain resilience, maritime cooperation and counter-terrorism. He reaffirmed India’s support for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and announced 2026 as the “ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation”.
Those engagements signal a more active Indian presence in regional diplomacy, reflecting long-term strategic priorities under the leadership of Narendra Modi (referred to as Indian PM Modi). They also suggest India is seeking deeper economic and strategic links across Asia, Latin America and beyond amidst evolving global trade and security dynamics.
As the summit ends, all eyes will be on how these engagements translate into concrete agreements and whether India leverages its growing role to shape regional frameworks and partnerships.
