Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has declared that his upcoming visits to 3 ASEAN nations will give a further push to India’s “Act East” policy.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Photo: VNA)

Speaking on the threshold of his visits to Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore from 29 May to 2 June, Modi said New Delhi boasts strong strategic partnerships with the three countries.

As scheduled, the Indian leader will be present in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, on 29 May. During his first visit to Indonesia as Prime Minister of India, Modi will hold talks with President Joko Widodo the next day.

He will also address a CEOs forum and the Indian community in the Southeast Asia's largest nation. There are around 100,000 people of Indian origin and around 7,000 non-resident Indians (NRIs) in Indonesia.

On 31 May, the Indian PM will make a brief stopover in Malaysia on his way from Indonesia to Singapore, during which he will meet newly elected Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

In Singapore, on 1 June, he will deliver the keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue, becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to do so in the inter-governmental security forum. This will be an opportunity for Modi to clearly show India’s viewpoints on regional security issues and measures to maintain peace and stability in the region.

(Source: VNA)