2NDLD PM 3 LAST

"India's enhanced engagement with the ASEAN is at the
heart of our 'Look East' Policy," Singh said in Indian
national capital New Delhi before his departure to Thailand.

The Prime Minister said the conclusion of the India-ASEAN
Trade-in-Goods Agreement "is a major first step in our
objective of creating an India-ASEAN Regional Trade and
Investment Area".
If free flow of trade is allowed among the combined
India-ASEAN population of 1.7 billion people, their bilateral
engagement would grow well beyond USD 48 billion in 2008.
The ASEAN summit takes place among its 10 members –
Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore,
Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Philippines.
Besides, there would be an India-ASEAN summit, ASEAN plus
three (China, Japan, Korea) meet and the East Asia Summit
which comprises the 10-nation bloc and India, China, Japan,
South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
'Enhancing Connectivity, Empowering Peoples' is the
theme of the annual ASEAN Summit which has been postponed
twice in December 2008 and April this year in the face of
anti-government protests in the host country of Thailand. PTI
PC
ANU



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