Page 45 - NIS English 01-15 November, 2024
P. 45

PM Modi held bilateral meetings
        with Japanese Prime Minister
        Shigeru Ishiba and New Zealand
        PM H.E. Christopher Luxon in Laos.
        This was the first meeting between
        the PMs of New Zealand and India
        PM MODI ANNOUNCES

         10-POINT PLAN


        n   Celebration of a decade of Act-East Policy with
          events like Youth Summit, Start-up Festival,         MALDIVES IMPORTANT IN INDIA'S
          Hackathon, Music Festival, ASEAN-India Think Tank     'NEIGHBOURHOOD FIRST' POLICY
          Network and Delhi Dialogue.
        n   Organizing ASEAN-India Women Scientists                      AND SAGAR VISION
          Conference under the Science and Technology
          Development Fund.                                  India has always played the role of first responder for
                                                             Maldives. Whether it is meeting the needs of essential
        n   Doubling the number of scholarships at Nalanda
          University and provision of new scholarships for   commodities for Maldives or providing drinking water
          ASEAN students in agricultural universities of India.  during natural disasters or providing vaccines during
                                                             Covid,  India  has  always  fulfilled  its  responsibility
        n   Review of ASEAN-India Goods Trade Agreement by 2025.
                                                             as  a  neighbour  very  responsibly.  India  has  always
        n   Enhancing disaster resilience, India will provide
          assistance of 5 million dollars.                   given  priority to the people of Maldives. Water and
                                                             sewerage projects have been completed on 28 islands
        n   Initiate a new Health Ministers’ track towards building   of Maldives and work will be completed soon on six
          Health Resilience
                                                             other islands. Through these projects, clean drinking
        n   ASEAN-India Cyber Policy Dialogue should be started   water will be available to 30 thousand people. India will
          as a regular mechanism to strengthen digital and   also cooperate in setting up an "Agriculture Economic
          cyber policy.
                                                             Zone” and tourism investments in Haa Dhaalu atoll
        n   Workshop on Green Hydrogen.                      and fish processing and canning facility at Haa Alifu
        n   Invited ASEAN Leaders to join the ‘Plant a Tree for   atoll. India has spelt out that both countries will also
          Mother’ campaign towards building climate resilience.  work together in oceanography and the blue economy.
                                                               To  strengthen  economic  relations,  it  has  been
                                                             decided to start discussions on a free trade agreement.
        Prime Minister Shri Narendra                         Work will also be done on trade settlement in local
        Modi witnessed an episode of Lao                     currency. Keeping the economic perspective in mind,
        Ramayana (called Phalak Phalam                       there has been talk of opening a new Indian Consulate
        or Phra Lak Phra Ram), performed                     in Addu, Maldives and a new Consulate of Maldives
        by the prestigious Royal Theatre of                  in  Bengaluru, India. These steps will strengthen
        Luang Prabang in Vientiane                           the people to people contact. India will continue
                                                             its  cooperation  in  training  and  capacity  building  of
                                                             Maldives  National  Defense  Forces.  Along  with  this,
        ASEAN  countries.  Significant  progress  has  been   both the countries have also decided to work together
        made in the restoration of shared cultural heritage   for stability and prosperity in the Indian Ocean region.
        in  five  ASEAN  countries.  The  progress  made  in   The two sides announced the Refit of Maldivian Coast
        India-ASEAN knowledge partnership through            Guard Ship Huravee by the Government of India on
        scholarships provided to ASEAN youth at Nalanda      gratis basis and the  new runway of Hanimaadhoo
        University was also discussed.                       International Airport was also inaugurated.


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