PM Modi said at ASEAN Summit 2021, India-ASEAN remained the test of friendship even in difficult times of Corona epidemic

Addressing the ASEAN Summit on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that we all have to face many challenges due to the Corona epidemic. This challenging time was also a test of India-ASEAN friendship. He expressed full confidence that our cooperation during the Corona period will continue to strengthen our relations in the future and will form the basis of goodwill between our peoples.

Expressing his views on India's relations with ASEAN, he said that next year marks the completion of 30 years of our partnership. At the same time, 75 years of India's independence will also be completed next year. PM Modi said that India is proud and happy that we will celebrate this important milestone as 'ASEAN-India Friendship Year'.

In his virtual address to ASEAN, PM Modi said that history has been witnessed that India and ASEAN have had vibrant relations for thousands of years. History has witnessed this. Its glimpse is also visible in shared values, traditions, languages, texts, architecture, culture, food, and drink. The solidarity of this organization has always been India's priority.

Regarding the world war that started with Covid, he said that all of us have had to face many challenges in this fight, but even at such times, India was also the test of ASEAN friendship. During this time cooperation between the two increased. He expressed the hope that this cooperation will continue to grow in the future as well. He also congratulated Sultan Hassanal Bolkhi of Brunei for chairing the ASEAN Summit this year. He also said that India has always followed the principles of ASEAN with utmost sincerity.

This conference is taking place at a time when China is continuously taking its steps forward in other regions including Asia. The most important thing about this conference is that for the first time after the year 2017, the US President is participating in this conference. Earlier, Trump had participated in this conference, but after that, he withdrew from this conference.

Earlier, PM Narendra Modi had also virtually participated in the 16th East Asia Summit organized by Brunei on Wednesday. He has also written in one of his tweets that he is very keen to participate in the ASEAN summit. In his address on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit, he emphasized the importance of a flexible global chain. At the same time, he also reiterated his commitment to making available the Quad-sponsored vaccine to the Asia-Pacific countries. He also said that India has contributed one million US dollars to the Organization of ASEAN countries to overcome the corona epidemic.

Let us inform you that apart from India, Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar are also participating in the conference of ASEAN countries. Significantly, because of the increasing influence of China, efforts are being made to stop its steps continuously. This conference is also going to become very important to show the concern of those countries, which are constantly troubled by China's security.

Some of the ASEAN countries are constantly troubled by the vulnerabilities being shown in the South China Sea of ​​China. Because of this, America has also come in support of many countries. Due to this, the tension between America and China is increasing continuously.