Question: Consider the following statements regarding ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting:
(1) Thailand and India co-chaired the ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting
(2) Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) has total 16 members
(3) India is member of RCEP
of the above, correct statement/s is/are:
(a) Only (1)
(b) Only (2) and (3)
(c) Both (1) and (2)
(d) All the above
Answer: (d)
Related facts:
(1) Thailand and India co-chaired the ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting
(2) Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) has total 16 members
(3) India is member of RCEP
of the above, correct statement/s is/are:
(a) Only (1)
(b) Only (2) and (3)
(c) Both (1) and (2)
(d) All the above
Answer: (d)
Related facts:
- On 1st August, 2019 Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, and Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of the Republic of India, co-chaired the ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok ,Thailand.
- It is part of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meetings with its Dialogue Partners in the Post Ministerial Conferences (PMC) series of meetings during the 52nd ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (52nd AMM) and Post Ministerial Conferences (PMCs) in Bangkok.
- The ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting sought to strengthen the ASEAN-India Strategic Partnership in all dimensions and noted the need to finalize a new Plan of Action for next year, following the implementation of the current ASEAN-India Plan of Action 2016-2020.
- The Meeting noted the convergence between ASEAN and India’s view on the Indo-Pacific, and the growing trade and investment between ASEAN and India.
- The Meeting also discussed regional issues, such as humanitarian and developmental assistance to Rakhine State, and the situation in the South China Sea.
- The Meeting supported the expansion of ASEAN-India connectivity via land and air links, especially via the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project and the aviation sector.
- In terms of economic collaboration, the Meeting discussed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and promoted cooperation between the private sector of ASEAN and India, capacity-building for MSMEs, as well as collaboration on science, technology, and innovation.
- Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to drive forward the ASEAN-India strategic partnership and to promote cooperation that would lead to concrete results and sustainable development.
- Thailand is the current country coordinator for ASEAN-India relations.
Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP):
- The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between the ten member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its six FTA partners (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand).
- RCEP negotiations were formally launched in November 2012 at the ASEAN Summit in Cambodia.
ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations):
- It is a regional intergovernmental organization comprising ten countries in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, military, educational, and socio-cultural integration among its members and other countries in Asia.
- It consists of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Loas, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and other countries in Asia.
- The ASEAN Secretariat is located at Jakarta, Indonesia.
Links:
http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/news3/6886/107176-ASEAN-India-Ministerial-Meeting.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Southeast_Asian_Nations
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_Comprehensive_Economic_Partnership
https://www.asean2019.go.th/en/news/asean-india-ministerial-meeting-2/