NEW DELHI, Aug 7: Over 100 delegates from 10 ASEAN countries – Brunei, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam – will participate in the India-ASEAN Youth Summit to be held in Bhopal from August 14-19.
A statement from the India Foundation said the think tank in collaboration with the ministry of external affairs and the ministry of youth affairs and sports will organise the first- of-its-kind event.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, her deputy V K Singh, Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Vijay Goel, and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will be among the key speakers at the event, it said.
The exercise will mark the 25th anniversary of the ASEAN-India dialogue partnership in the ongoing year and also the commemorative year’s theme of “Shared Values, Common Destiny”.
“It aptly reflects the close cultural and civilisational links that India and South East Asia have enjoyed over two millennia,” the statement said.
While India’s civilisational, commercial, cultural and trade links with the region are centuries old, “renewed and revitalised” engagement with the region has come with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Act East Policy”, it said.
Noting that Modi at the 12th ASEAN-India Summit and the 9th East Asia Summit held in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, in November, 2014, had formally enunciated the Act East Policy, it said the addition of an economic vector to the Indo-ASEAN relationship has made it stronger and more sustainable.
Apart from the 100 delegates from ASEAN countries, the summit will also have participation of 75 youth leaders from India.
The statement said participants will represent some of the largest institutions in their countries, including leaders from ruling as well as opposition parties, think tanks, media and universities. (PTI)
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