Jaishankar shares glimpses of visit to Indonesia

On Sunday, S. Jaishankar, minister of external affairs, gave a brief account of his trip to Indonesia for the ASEAN-India, East Asia Summit, and ASEAN Regional Forum, calling it a “productive visit.”

Taking to Twitter, Jaishnankar said, “A very productive visit to Indonesia for the ASEAN format meetings. Here’s a glimpse.”

Speaking at the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference on Thursday in Jakarta during his two-day visit, Jaishankar asserted that ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) is crucial to the developing Indo-Pacific dynamic.

The EAM said, “ASEAN is a crucial pillar of India’s Act East policy and its vision for the wider Indo-Pacific. A strong and unified ASEAN plays an important role in the emerging dynamic of the Indo-Pacific. India firmly supports ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific.”

“As comprehensive strategic partners, we look forward to working with ASEAN to further expand our partnership to include newer areas while strengthening existing cooperations. I refer here, especially to cyber, financial and maritime security domains,” Jaishankar said.

While this was going on, Jaishankar stressed at the 13th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers Meeting that the EAS must be dedicated to a free, open, inclusive, and rules-based Indo-Pacific, with respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“India firmly supports the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and its implementation through EAS. There is great synergy between the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) proposed by India and AOIP,” the EAM tweeted.

“Quad will always complement ASEAN and ASEAN-led mechanisms. AOIP contributes to the vision of the Quad. India affirms ASEAN centrality in the Indo-Pacific and advocates the strengthening of the EAS,” he added.

He also delivered an address at the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting in Jakarta on Friday.

“Spoke at the ARF Ministerial Meeting in Jakarta this afternoon. Underlined that India is responding to global challenges by pressing for diplomacy to address conflicts, promoting global cooperation and delegitimisation to counter-terrorism, contributing to the diversification of supply chains for economic resilience and advocating expanded resource access to help the Global South,” Jaishankar tweeted on Friday.

Jaishankar participated in the second India-Australia-Indonesia trilateral during his tour along with his Australian counterpart Penny Wong and his Indonesian colleague Retno Marsudi.

“Joined my colleagues @Menlu_RI & @SenatorWong for the 2nd India-Australia-Indonesia trilateral. Always good meeting between three Indo-Pacific maritime states. Plenty to talk about; plenty to agree,” the EAM tweeted on Wednesday.

Jaishankar met with Sergey Lavrov of Russia, James Cleverly of the United Kingdom, Saleumxay Kommasith of Laos, Kao Kim Hourn of the ASEAN Secretariat, Zambry Abdul Kadir of Malaysia, Joko Widodo of Indonesia, and Mélanie Joly of Canada on the sidelines of the ASEAN events in Jakarta.