India, Australia, Japan, US call for open Indo-Pacific region

India, Australia, Japan and the US discussed cooperation in the areas of connectivity and infrastructure development at Bangkok on Friday and reaffirmed their commitment towards a free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.

An External Affairs Ministry release said that diplomats from the four countries met in the Thai capital on Friday for consultations on regional and global issues of common interest.

"They reaffirmed their commitment towards a free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific Region based on shared values and principles," it said, adding that they also reiterated their strong support for ASEAN-centrality and ASEAN-led mechanisms in the regional architecture for the Indo-Pacific and in this regard, welcomed the initiative of ASEAN towards a common vision for the Indo-Pacific.

"The officials discussed cooperation in the areas of connectivity and infrastructure development, regional security including counter-terrorism, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, maritime cooperation, and cyber security issues with a view to promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region," the release said.

--IANS

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