PM Modi reaches Laos Photo: Vikas Swarup Twitter

PM Modi reaches Laos

ASEAN

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

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