India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held bilateral meetings with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Haji Hasan during the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia. Discussions in both meetings focused on strategic partnership, trade, education, maritime security, and regional stability.
ASEAN Summit: India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has arrived in Malaysia to participate in the ongoing Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit. During this visit, in addition to the ASEAN Summit, he held separate meetings with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Haji Hasan. The objective of these meetings was to strengthen bilateral cooperation and deliberate on regional security and economic issues.
Meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister
During the meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Jaishankar conveyed best wishes on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the meeting, both leaders emphasized maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific. The External Affairs Minister shared on social media platform 'X' that both countries agreed to elevate bilateral cooperation to new heights. Topics such as trade, investment, climate change, and technological cooperation were also discussed in this meeting.
Discussions with Malaysian Foreign Minister
S. Jaishankar also met with Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Haji Hasan, which he described as a 'warm meeting'. During the meeting, both countries discussed the progress made in bilateral cooperation. Jaishankar shared his views on the situation in Myanmar and regional stability. He also extended his best wishes to Hasan for the success of the ASEAN and East Asia Summits. Ways to enhance cooperation in areas such as education, health, and trade were also discussed in the meeting.
Malaysia's Hosting of the ASEAN Summit
Malaysia is currently the chair of ASEAN. The annual summit, held in Kuala Lumpur, includes 11 member states, along with dialogue partners such as India, the United States, China, Japan, and Australia. This summit facilitates multilateral discussions on issues such as regional security, trade cooperation, climate change, and technological development. S. Jaishankar's meetings were held separate from the main agenda of the ASEAN Summit, aimed at advancing bilateral cooperation and focusing on strategic matters.
Direction to Enhance Bilateral Cooperation
During the meetings, India emphasized strengthening strategic partnerships with New Zealand and Malaysia. Special attention was given to defense cooperation, maritime security, high-tech industries, and education. New avenues for boosting trade and investment between India and New Zealand were also discussed. Meanwhile, with Malaysia, India held talks on issues of economic cooperation, digital technology, and energy security.
Views on Regional Issues
In both meetings, Jaishankar shared his views on the security situation in Southeast Asia, particularly concerning Myanmar and other conflict-affected regions. He emphasized the importance of peace, stability, and development. The Malaysian Foreign Minister appreciated India's regional contributions, and both countries resolved to enhance cooperation in addressing global challenges.
Strategic Approach in the Indo-Pacific Region
S. Jaishankar clarified India's role and direction of cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. He stated that India is striving to increase investment and development opportunities for all countries in the region. Strategic engagement with New Zealand and Malaysia will further strengthen regional stability and economic cooperation.
