Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday landed in Vientiane, where he was given a warm reception by Laos' Minister of Home Affairs, Vilayvong Bouddakham.
After landing in the Southeast Asian nation, the Prime Minister was given a ceremonial Guard of Honour.
"Landed in Lao PDR. Looking forward to the deliberations with various world leaders," he said in a post on X.
The Prime Minister will visit Laos for two days to take part in the 21st ASEAN-India Summit and the 19th East Asia Summit, where he has been invited by his counterpart Laotian prime minister Sonexay Siphandone, who leads ASEAN at present.
Addressing the media before his visit to Laos, the Prime Minister said that the East Asia Summit is an important forum which represents discussions on challenges to peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.
His statement read, "Today, I am commencing a two-day visit to Vientiane, Lao PDR, at the invitation of Prime Minister Mr. Sonexay Siphandone to attend the 21st ASEAN-India and the 19th East Asia Summit. This year marks a decade of our Act East Policy. I will join the ASEAN leaders to review progress in our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and chart the future direction of our cooperation."
He emphasized strong cultural and civilizational ties that India has with the region, he said, particularly Laos, highlighting common values of Buddhism and the Ramayana.
"I look forward to my meetings with the Lao PDR leadership to further strengthen our bilateral ties. I am confident that this visit will further deepen our engagement with ASEAN countries."
Most of the leaders would probably have bilateral meets on the sidelines of the summits in Vientiane.
The visit to Laos marks more importance to ASEAN nations as a core pillar of India's Act East policy and a key partner in New Delhi's Indo-Pacific Vision, which gets further bolstered by PM Modi's vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), "The ASEAN-India Summit will review the progress of India-ASEAN relations through our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and chart the future direction of cooperation. The East Asia Summit, a premier leaders-led forum that contributes to building an environment of strategic trust in the region, provides an opportunity for leaders of EAS Participating Countries, including India, to exchange views on issues of regional importance."
PM Modi's support to ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific region has cemented India's relationship with the association over the last decade.
For India, a stable and cohesive ASEAN is crucial in shaping the dynamics of the Indo-Pacific.
