Modi
Why is PM Modi visiting Philippines? Here's what you need to know
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Manila, the Philippines, from November 16 to 17 to attend the 23rd ASEAN-India Summit and the 21st East Asia Summit (EAS), the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
Modi will undertake the visit at the invitation of Philippines President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
India-ASEAN relations remain a key pillar of India's Act East Policy and its vision for the Indo-Pacific region, the MEA said.
The visit comes as India and ASEAN are observing 2026 as the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation. The two sides will also mark 35 years of Dialogue Relations and five years of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2027.
According to the MEA statement, the ASEAN-India Summit will review progress in implementing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, including the ASEAN-India Plan of Action 2026–2030, and chart the future course of bilateral cooperation.
What is ASEAN?
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established on August 8, 1967, in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration, also known as the Bangkok Declaration.
The founding members were Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
Brunei Darussalam joined the grouping on January 7, 1984, followed by Vietnam on July 28, 1995. Laos and Myanmar became members on July 23, 1997, while Cambodia joined on April 30, 1999.
Timor-Leste became the latest member on October 26, 2025, taking ASEAN's membership to 11 countries.
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