EAM Jaishankar meets counterparts from Singapore, Thailand on sidelines of ASEAN Summit

Kuala Lumpur, Oct 26 (IANS) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar met his counterparts from Singapore and Thailand on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit here on Sunday.

During the meeting, EAM Jaishankar and his Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan discussed opportunities for strengthening cooperation between the two nations.

Sharing details regarding the meeting, EAM Jaishankar in a post on X wrote: “Good to meet FM Vivian Bala of Singapore. A very useful exchange on the global and regional scenario, as well as opportunities for strengthening India-Singapore cooperation.”

EAM Jaishankar met his Thailand counterpart Sihasak Phuangketkeow in Kuala Lumpur and said that he looked forward to taking forward the Strategic Partnership between the two nations.

“A first meeting with Thai FM Sihasak Phuangketkeow in Kuala Lumpur today. Look forward to working together to take forward our Strategic Partnership,” EAM Jaishankar posted on X.

Earlier in the day, Jaishankar met Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s wishes for a successful ASEAN Summit.

In a post on X, Jaishankar wrote: “Honoured to meet Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia. Conveyed the best wishes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a successful ASEAN Summit. Value his thoughts on strengthening our bilateral cooperation and people-to-people linkages.”

Malaysia, as the Chair of ASEAN, is hosting the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability” in Kuala Lumpur from October 26–28.

EAM Jaishankar also met his South Korean counterpart Cho Hyun on the sidelines of ASEAN meetings in Malaysia and discussed cooperation in automotive, electronics, semiconductor, defence and shipbuilding.

Following their meeting, EAM Jaishankar in a post on X wrote: “Delighted to meet FM Cho Hyun of RoK, on the sidelines of ASEAN meetings in Malaysia. Appreciate the deepening of our Special Strategic Partnership. Discussed cooperation in automotive, electronics, semiconductor, defence and shipbuilding.”

Meanwhile, PM Modi virtually attended the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)–India Summit on Sunday. He noted that the cooperation between India and ASEAN is growing rapidly in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), maritime security and the blue economy, and declared 2026 as the ‘ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation’.

EAM Jaishankar, currently on a visit to Malaysia, will represent PM Modi at the 20th East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur on Monday. In a statement issued on Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated: “The East Asia Summit will provide an opportunity to deliberate on the challenges to peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and also exchange views on regional and international developments.”

—IANS

int/akl/pgh