NEW DELHI: An India-ASEAN investment conference will be held in New Delhi in January, coinciding with a gathering of the Southeast Asian leaders.
“It will be the biggest ASEAN focussed business event India has ever organised. India wishes to participate in your growth story and we invite all of ASEAN to participate in ours,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in an address at the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Manila on Monday.
The ASEAN-India Business and Investment Meet and Expo will coincide with the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit on January 25 next year.
Heads of state and government from the 10 ASEAN member countries are expected to participate in the summit and will attend the Indian Republic Day parade on January 26, which marks the day India adopted its current constitution.
India has stepped up its engagement with Southeast Asia to grow its business, security and cultural links with the region.
The country is organising an ASEAN-India Connectivity Summit in New Delhi next month.
Modi said India is working on concluding an agreement with ASEAN on sea transport and is exploring “coastal shipping services with countries that are our immediate maritime neighbours.”
Trade between India and ASEAN amounted to US$71 billion in the 2016-17 financial year. -- Bernama