PM Narendra Modi meets his Laos counterpart Thongloun Sisoulith on the sidelines of ASEAN Summit (Image: AIR Twitter handle)

Narendra Modi, Thongloun Sisoulith, ASEAN

ASEAN

PM Narendra Modi speaks at 14th ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos (Image source: ANI Twitter handle)

Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe during a bilateral meeting at 28th and 29th ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos

PM Narendra Modi emplanes for Vientiane (Laos). Photo: ANI Twitter

PM Narendra Modi emplanes for Vientiane (Laos).

PM Modi reaches Laos Photo: Vikas Swarup Twitter

PM Modi reaches Laos

ASEAN launches economic bloc but analysts sceptical

South China Sea

V K Singh, External Affairs Minister

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	The Association of Southeast Asian Nations or Asean is a regional inter-governmental organisation consisting of 10 countries to facilitate and promote cooperation in trade, security, education and culture integration and exchange.&nbsp; It is collectively the third-largest economy in Asia after China and Japan and the seventh-largest in the world.</div>
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	Meetings, conferences and summits are conducted regularly at various levels with its secretariat located in Jakarta, Indonesia. Asean, which was established on August 8, 1967, comprises 10 Southeast Asian countries -- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.</div>

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	Asean is considered one of the most influential groupings in the region, and India and several other countries, including the US, China, Japan and Australia, are its dialogue partners.</div>
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	Asean member nations have a total population of 650 million people and a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $2.8 trillion.</div>
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	<strong>What is Asean summit?</strong></div>
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	The Asean Summit is a biannual meeting held by the members of the Asean to discuss the economic, political, security, and socio-cultural matters of the Southeast Asian nations.</div>
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	Asean Summit is &lsquo;the supreme policy-making body of Southeast Asian nations&rsquo;. Some of the key functions of the Asean Summit are to &lsquo;deliberate, provide policy guidance and take decisions on key issues pertaining to the objectives of the Asean.</div>
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	The first Asean Summit was held in November 1976 in Bali.</div>
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	Asean leaders hold an internal organisation meeting and conferences with foreign ministers of the Asean Regional Forum. Leaders of three Asean Dialogue Partners (also known as Asean +3), namely China, Japan, and South Korea, hold a meeting with the Asean leaders. A separate meeting is held for leaders of two Asean Dialogue Partners (also known as Asean +CER), namely Australia and New Zealand.</div>
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	The Chairmanship of Asean rotates annually, based on the alphabetical order of the names of Asean member states.</div>
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Learn what is ASEAN Summit, its members, importance, significance and purpose of ASEAN Community here at Business Standard.

Page 14 - Latest Updates on ASEAN

Narendra Modi, Laos PM hold bilateral talks, discuss South China Sea issue

Export of terror common security threat: PM Narendra Modi to ASEAN nations

PM Modi holds bilateral meeting with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe

PM Modi leaves for Laos to attend ASEAN-India summit

PM Modi arrives in Laos to attend ASEAN for East Asia Summits

ASEAN Summit to begin today in Vientiane

Stepping in for weak ASEAN, Japan, Australia, US urged China

Asean needs to look at challenge posed by terrorism: V K Singh