Jaideep Mazumdar - Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs represented India at the East Asia Summit Senior Officials’ Meeting (EAS SOM) and the ASEAN Regional Forum Senior Officials’ Meeting (ARF SOM) on June 7-8, 2024, in Vientiane, Lao PDR.
The EAS SOM on June 7, 2024, chaired by Deputy Foreign Minister of Lao PDR, Thongphane Savanphet, saw participation from counterparts of 18 EAS Participating Countries, including 10 ASEAN Member States and 8 Dialogue Partners of ASEAN (Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, RoK, Russia, and the US), along with Timor-Leste. Discussions centered on enhancing the leaders-led EAS platform, implementing the ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific (AOIP), and addressing regional and international issues such as the South China Sea, Gaza, Korean Peninsula, Myanmar, and Ukraine. Mazumdar emphasized the pivotal role of EAS in fostering peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and highlighted the alignment between the Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative (IPOI) and the AOIP. The invitation extended by India to the 6th EAS Conference on Maritime Security Cooperation in Mumbai on July 4-5, 2024, was warmly welcomed.
On June 8, 2024, the ASEAN Regional Forum Senior Officials’ Meeting (ARF SOM), chaired by Lao PDR as the current Chair of ASEAN, convened Senior Officials from ARF Member States. Discussions revolved around reviewing past year activities and exchanges within ARF and planning future endeavors. Views were exchanged on regional and international developments, with a focus on maritime and cyber security. Mazumdar acknowledged the significance of ASEAN-led mechanisms, particularly ARF, in shaping the regional architecture to promote mutual trust and understanding. He expressed concerns about terrorism threats and advocated for collective action. Participants commended India's co-chairing of the 15th ARF Inter-sessional Meeting on Maritime Security and its leadership in the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code training module.
During the visit, Secretary (East) engaged in bilateral meetings with counterparts from Lao PDR, Japan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Australia, Philippines, and the European Union, where they reviewed bilateral cooperation and exchanged regional perspectives.