The Meeting at Official Level between ASEAN-India (1980)

A meeting at official level between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and India was held in Kuala Lumpur on May 15 and 16, 1980.
ASEAN was represented by H.E. Mr. Umarjadi Njotowijono, Director-General ASEAN- Indonesia; H.E. Mr. Kassim bin Mohd. Hussein, Director-General ASEAN-Malaysia; H.E. Pablo R. Suarez, Director-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Philippines and H.E. Ambassador Sime D. Hidalgo, Director-General ASEAN Philippines; H.E. Mr. Abdul Aziz Mahmood, Director-General ASEAN Singapore and H.E. Mr. Orachun Tanapong, Acting Director-General ASEAN - Thailand.
India as represented by H.E. Shri Eric Gonsalves, Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs, India.
The Meeting was opened by H.E. Mr. Kassim bin Mohd. Hussein, Director-General ASEAN - Malaysia. In his opening address H.E. Mr. Kassim bin Mohd. Hussein mentioned the close historical, cultural and economic links between ASEAN and India. He welcomed India’s interest to have closer links and ties with ASEAN and remarked that the meeting is not new but merely and extension of the continuing process of cooperation which has always existed between India and the ASEAN member-states :The difference is that this is the first cooperative venture between ASEAN as a group with India.
The Meeting was chaired by H.E. Datuk Ali bin Abdullah, the Secretary-General f the ASEAN Secretariat who was the spokesman for ASEAN. H.E. Datuk Ali in his statement indicated that the meeting is a landmark in promoting cooperation between ASEAN and India. He highlighted the ASEAN guidelines in its relations with developing countries and suggested that cooperation should develop on a step-by-step basis.
In response, H.E. Shri Gonsalves expressed a similar view that the Meeting is a landmark and that since the North-South Dialogue has not been successful, cooperation among the developing countries is vital to safeguard the interests of the developing countries. He also expressed the view that the Meeting is a first step to greater areas of cooperation between South-East Asian and South Asian countries. He also mentioned the similarity of interests, objectives and needs between ASEAN and India.
The delegation of ASEAN and India exchanged views on areas of cooperation between ASEAN and India in the economic fields. Specifically they explored possibilities of cooperation in trade, industrial, scientific and technical fields.

Trade
The Meeting agreed that both sides should consult each other for the purpose of identifying complementarities and products of import/export interest to ASEAN and India. They would further explore the possibility of exchange of trade delegations, market orientation tours, sales teams, exhibitions, trade fair etc. for the purpose of pro- moting trade. They would also exchange views on the possibilities of the exchange of delegations from small scale industry, and the establishment of a joint business council of the Apex Chambers of Commerce of India and the ASEAN - CCI.

International Economic Cooperation
The Meeting expressed the view that there is a need to intensify consultations with each other from time to time to coordinate their positions on international economic issues in various international fora as member countries of the Group of 77.

Industrial Cooperation
The Meeting recognized the importances of existing bilateral industrial cooperation between India and member countries of ASEAN. In the context of promoting mutual cooperation between ASEAN and India, it as felt that the following areas should be further explored :
As a first step towards this objective, India has offered to host a workshop in New Delhi, in the near future where technical experts, senior repreventatives and businessmen of the ASEAN countries and India may participate with a view to identifying the existing problems and areas of further industrial cooperation, and India would be ready to receive a delegation of experts from the ASEAN member countries to study medium and small scale industries and the functioning of industrial estates. The ASEAN delegation has expressed interest in the proposals and would give positive consideration.
The Indian delegation also proposed the strengthening of mutual cooperation through the exchange of consultancy and design-engineering services for the establishment of new projects, for modernization and diversification of existing projects, project implementation services and contracting construction services with the objective of increasing the level of industrial cooperation and trade.

Scientific and Technical Cooperation
It was felt that both sides have much to gain from each other's technological and scientific development and expertise. The potentials of co-operation were recognized and it was considered that preparatory steps may be taken to explore, in depth, the areas of cooperation. In this connection it was proposed that a group of experts would examine and make concrete suggestions for institutional arrangements of framework for further cooperation. In the meanwhile it was agreed to exchange information on the existing facilities, private and public sectors, for training which could be utilized by both sides.
In this connection, the following proposals were considered :
The Meeting was held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere reflecting the close ties of friendship between India and the ASEAN countries.