Recent Current Affairs related to ASEAN

India has participated in the 14th East Asia Summit - Economic Ministers’ Meeting (EAS-EMM) and the 23rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-India Economic Ministers Consultation held in Manila, Philippines.

The Indian delegation for these high-level meetings was led by Nitin Kumar Yadav. It is to be noted that the bilateral trade between India and the ASEAN region reached a total of $128.38 billion in 2025-26.

INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish have participated in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-India Maritime Exercise (AIME 2026) held in the Philippines. The exercise was conducted under the theme “Anchored in Trust, United at Sea”.

India and Vietnam have designated 2027 as the ‘Year of India-Vietnam Friendship’ to commemorate the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations. The announcement was made during the 19th India-Vietnam Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) held in New Delhi.

Both nations have committed to achieving a bilateral trade target of $25 billion by 2030.

The 4th edition of the bilateral maritime exercise between India and Malaysia named “Samudra Laksamana” has commenced in Lumut Naval Base, Malaysia.

The Indian Navy is participating in the exercise with INS Mysore (a Delhi-class guided-missile destroyer), while the Royal Malaysian Navy is represented by the vessels KD Lekir and KD Gagah Samudera.

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Francisco P Tiu Laurel of Philippines have co-chaired the 9th ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture and Forestry (9th AIMMAF) in New Delhi. The agenda of the 9th AIMMAF focused on climate-resilient farming, with a specific emphasis on implementing low-emission rice cultivation techniques.

The participants endorsed the “ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future” roadmap and the “ASEAN Food, Agriculture and Forestry Sectoral Plan 2026-2030” to ensure environmental safeguards and food safety in the region. A symbolic “Friendship Spike for Agriculture and Forestry” was also unveiled to commemorate the cooperation between the nations.

Union Minister of State Pabitra Margherita has visited Vietnam and Laos to strengthen bilateral partnerships under the ‘Act East Policy’.

During the visit to Vietnam, the Minister visited the Phap Van Pagoda as part of the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative. In Laos, initiatives were launched for the preservation of the Phlak-Phlam dance and the development of the National Arts College. An MoU was also signed for the restoration of murals at the Wat Pa Khae Temple in Luang Prabang.

India and Singapore have reinforced their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) during the fourth India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) held in Singapore.

It is to be noted that the roundtable also witnessed the exchange of two MoUs and one Letter of Intent (LoI) to strengthen bilateral ties.

PM Narendra Modi has visited Indonesia at the invitation of President Prabowo Subianto to strengthen bilateral ties and strategic cooperation between the two nations.

He became the first Indian PM to address the Indonesian Parliament in Jakarta, where he unveiled the 'Ganga-Mahakam Vision' to foster a long-term strategic partnership. During the visit, he was conferred with the 'Bintang Adipurna of the Republic of Indonesia,' the highest civilian honour of the country.

PM Modi visited the Prambanan Temple and inaugurated its restoration project, which is proposed to be led by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). India has agreed to establish a branch campus of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore in Jakarta. The visit resulted in 20 key outcomes, including the signing of 14 MoUs and agreements.

Indian Naval Ships (INS) Udaygiri, INS Shakti, and INS Kavaratti have concluded their port call at the Changi Naval Base in Singapore.

The deployment of these Eastern Fleet ships was led by Rear Admiral Alok Anand, the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet (FOCEF).

President U Min Aung Hlaing of Myanmar visited India, covering Bihar, New Delhi, and Mumbai. In Bihar, he offered prayers at the Mahabodhi Temple, meditated under the Bodhi Tree, and visited the Sujata Temple and the local Burmese Monastery.

In New Delhi, he held bilateral discussions with PM Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House, met Union Minister S Jaishankar, and President Droupadi Murmu. He also visited the Buddha Relics exposition at the Qila Rai Pithora cultural complex. He concluded his visit in Mumbai, where he interacted with business and industry leaders to strengthen commercial ties and explore investment opportunities.

The Government of India has signed an agreement to export BrahMos missiles to Vietnam in a deal valued at ₹6,000 crore ($629 million).

This agreement strengthens bilateral defence and strategic cooperation between the countries. Vietnam is the second overseas buyer of the BrahMos missile system, after the Philippines.

The inaugural edition of the multilateral military exercise named ‘Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region (PRAGATI) 2026’ commenced at the Umroi Military Station in Meghalaya.

A total of 12 friendly foreign nations are participating in the exercise alongside India. These include Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, and Sri Lanka from the immediate neighbourhood; Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); and the Maldives and Seychelles from the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).