Hanoi (VNA) – Foreign MinisterBui Thanh Son urged India to continue its prompt and stable vaccine supply forASEAN member states at the ASEAN – India foreign ministers’ meeting held onAugust 4 as part of the 54th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM-54) andrelated meetings.

In his speech at the event, Son consideredIndia a close neighbour and long-term partner of the bloc and encouraged the nationto assist ASEAN countries in applying IT and innovation advances in contribution toefforts toward recovery and growth.  

ASEAN hopes to work closely with India to facilitate trade and investment and sustain the regional supply chain,the diplomat said.

Highly evaluating India’s support forASEAN’s stance on the East Sea issue, he asked the country to back the bloc’sefforts in making the sea an area of peace, stability, cooperation,security, safety, and environmental friendliness.

At the meeting, ASEAN nations praisedIndia’s contribution of 1 million USD to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund andwished to strengthen cooperation with India in stepping up efforts forcomprehensive and sustainable recovery in the region.

They lauded India’s proposal for making2022 a year of ASEAN – India friendship to mark important development milestones in their relations,including the 30th anniversary of their dialogue relations and the 10th anniversary of strategic partnership.

India affirmed its support for ASEAN’srole and efforts in boosting dialogue and reconciliation in Myanmar and support for the country.

Both sides highlighted their mutualassistance in responding to COVID-19, minimising its negative impacts, andfostering recovery.

They agreed to maintain and step upcooperation via the effective implementation of the ASEAN – India Plan ofAction for 2021-2025. They said they will prioritise promoting trade,investment, connectivity, marine collaboration, blue economy, science andtechnology, innovation, digital transformation, natural disaster prevention,climate change response, and narrowing development gap, among other matters.

ASEAN and India stated they will workclosely together to contribute to efforts made for sustaining peace,security, and stability in the region, including maritime security and safety in theEast Sea.

India affirmed its support for ASEAN'sprinciple stance on the East Sea, backing the bloc’s promotion of its rolein fostering dialogue, building trust, and ensuring the full and effectiveimplementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea(DOC) toward building an efficient and effective Code of Conduct in theEast Sea (COC) in accordance with international law and the 1982 United NationsConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The sides agreed to jointly compile cooperation documents within the framework of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).

At the end of the meeting, Thailand transferredthe role of coordinator of the ASEAN – India relations to Singapore./.