In a continuing attempt to strengthen regional collaboration, high-ranking Indian and ASEAN officials met in Manila to assess the status of bilateral projects and to move the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership forward.
Periasamy Kumaran, Secretary (East) at the Ministry of External Affairs, and Leo M. Herrera-Lim, Undersecretary for Policy at the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs, co-chaired the 28th ASEAN-India Senior Officials’ Meeting.
Focusing on designating 2026 as the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation, participants evaluated the implementation of decisions agreed during the 2025 ASEAN-India Summit and explored methods to further improve ties.
During his time in Manila, Kumaran met with academics, think tanks, and policy experts, where they discussed and debated many bilateral and global concerns. The advancement of India-Philippines strategic relations and India’s sustained support for ASEAN-led efforts were the main topics of his discussions with Maria Theresa P. Lazaro.
At the same time, the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting went over the priorities set out by the Philippines’ Chairship, which included things like getting ready for the ASEAN Summit in May 2026, enhancing external alliances, and furthering ASEAN Community-building.
A crucial regional organization for political, economic, and security cooperation, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has grown from its 1967 founding to include eleven member states today.
At this summit, India reaffirmed its commitment to ASEAN as an integral part of its Indo-Pacific strategy, with the goals of deepening economic integration, marine cooperation, and connectivity.
