PM Modi discusses sustainable development with ASEAN leaders

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part in the luncheon meeting on Sustainable Development with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders amid the ongoing 35th ASEAN Summit here on Monday.

Later in the day, PM Modi is slated to participate in the 14th East Asian Summit.

Earlier, Modi met his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit and held a delegation-level meeting where they welcomed the increase in economic engagement between the two nations and reviewed the progress on Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project previously signed by the two countries.

Prime Minister Modi will also attend the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Summit, where the leaders of the member countries will review the state of negotiations which are ongoing in Bangkok currently and will continue over the next few days.

RCEP is a proposed free trade agreement among 10 ASEAN countries, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Laos and Vietnam and their six FTA partners China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

Modi is also scheduled to attend several bilaterals including, the one with Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

After concluding the summit, Modi is scheduled to depart from Don Mueang International Airport Bangkok to Delhi at 10 pm (Local time).