00:00Thank you. Secretary Teresa Lazzaro, Your Royal Highness, Distinguished Ministers, Secretary General of ASEAN, Colleagues.
00:10It is a real pleasure to join you all this morning at Manila.
00:15Let me convey our deep appreciation to the Philippines for its warm welcome and hospitality,
00:21and more important, for its key role as a country coordinator for building and strengthening the India-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic
00:31Partnership.
00:32The chairship theme, Navigating Our Future Together, captures the sentiment which many of us feel today.
00:43The world is extremely turbulent, and it is increasingly evident that no single nation or even grouping can deal with
00:53it on its own.
00:54Let us contemplate the near future and consider how best our cooperation can serve our respective interests.
01:03In this era of volatility and disruption, the most visible stress is on supply chains.
01:11Energy, food and health security can no longer be taken for granted.
01:17Because we are all so dependent on maritime trade, that too could become a source of anxiety.
01:24Observing international law in that regard is therefore vital.
01:31Coincidentally, 2026 is the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation.
01:37It is a timely reminder of what we can do for a more stable and secure future.
01:43Colleagues, at the same time, both India and ASEAN are optimistic about their prospects.
01:50Our eyes must therefore be firmly fixed on opportunities, even while addressing challenges.
01:57And there are many of them, many of them amongst us and between us.
02:03The India-ASEAN agenda today covers trade and investment, mobility and talent, tech, digital and AI, green and sustainability, as
02:15well as connectivity.
02:15It is only through deeper cooperation that we can de-risk and diversify.
02:22India and ASEAN have traditionally worked for the welfare of the larger region.
02:28For India, ASEAN centrality is a key principle.
02:33One example of the manner of that working is the way in which the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific
02:42meshes with India's Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative.
02:46There are many other domains and examples reflected in activities, numbers and policies.
02:52This is a world in transition, and India and ASEAN, who account for $2 billion, must navigate it together if
03:01it is to remain safe and steady.
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