Amid growing Chinese assertiveness on maritime issues, India and the ASEAN on Thursday reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, stability, maritime safety and security, freedom of navigation and overflight in the region.

They also called for unimpeded lawful maritime commerce and promotion of peaceful resolutions of disputes, in accordance with universally recognised principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the relevant standards and recommended practices by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

”In this regard, we support the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in its entirety and look forward to the early conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) that is in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS,” said the two sides in a joint statement on ”Strengthening ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace, Stability and Prosperity in the Region”.

The Indian side at the India-ASEAN Summit in Laos was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to upholding multilateralism, the purposes and principles enshrined in the UN Charter and respect for international law, while recognising ASEAN’s rising global relevance and unique convening power amid the emerging multipolar global architecture and noting the growing and active role of India in major international economic and political affairs.

They agreed to strengthen cooperation in maritime security, counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, military medicine, transnational crime, defence industry, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, peacekeeping and demining operations and confidence building measures.

“This will be achieved through the exchange of visits, joint military exercise, maritime exercise, port calls by naval ships and defence scholarships,” the joint statement said.

The two sides agreed to promote and work towards the strengthening of multilateralism through the UN and the multilateral processes to address global concerns, pursue shared goals and complementary initiatives, and promote sustainable development for the benefit of their peoples.

They resolved to expedite the review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) to make it more effective, user-friendly, simple, and trade-facilitative for businesses and relevant to the current global trading practices and promote mutually beneficial arrangements and strengthen economic cooperation between ASEAN and India.

India and the ASEAN also agreed to promote diverse, secure, transparent and resilient supply chains while exchanging information on identifying and proactively addressing potential risks in supply chains in areas of mutual interest to promote sustainable development.

The two sides decided to strengthen health systems by enhancing collaboration on public health including, inter alia, in the areas of research and development (R&D), public health emergency preparedness, training of healthcare professionals, medical technology, pharmaceuticals, vaccine security and self-reliance, vaccine development and production, as well as general and traditional medicine.

They also stressed the importance of strengthening multilateralism and comprehensive reform of the multilateral global governance architecture, including the United Nations and international financial architecture, international financial institutions and multilateral development banks.