Dr. S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister of India, visited Cambodia from the 3rd to the 5th
of August, 2022 to attend the annual ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AIFMM). The
ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AIFMM) was held on the 4th of August 2022 in
Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The Meeting was co-chaired by EAM and H.E. Dr Vivian
Balakrishnan, Foreign Minister of Singapore and was attended by Foreign
Ministers/representatives from other ASEAN member countries.
This AIFMM carried forward the discussions from the AIFMM hosted by India in New Delhi in
June, this year. This meeting reflected on ways to elevate the ASEAN-India cooperation in
the post-pandemic era, including boosting cooperation in areas of smart agriculture,
healthcare, new & renewable energy, digital inclusivity and fintech. Views were also
expressed on important regional and international issues of common interest and discussed
preparations for the upcoming ASEAN-India Summit, as reported by the MEA.
Dr. Jaishankar appreciated the Chairship of ASEAN by Cambodia under the theme ‘ASEAN
ACT: Addressing Challenges Together’. EAM also underscored the significance India places
on ASEAN as an important pillar on the regional, multilateral and global planes. Further, he
also recapitulated India’s support for the unity and centrality of ASEAN in a free, open and
inclusive Indo-Pacific. Dr. Jaishankar also called for greater cooperation between India and
ASEAN by marking the strong interchange between ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific (AOIP)
and Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).
During the visit to Cambodia, EAM also called on Cambodian Prime Minister H.E. Mr Hun
Sen and interacted on bilateral and global concerns of mutual interest. EAM also held
bilateral discussions with his counterparts from Australia, Sri Lanka, the US and Vietnam.
The AIFMM also included the 12th session of the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’
Meeting and the 29th ASEAN Regional Forum Ministerial Meeting on 5th August 2022. The
Indian delegation was led by Shri Saurabh Kumar, Secretary (East), at these meetings. The
12th EAS FMM marked the ways and means to enhance the Leaders-led EAS platform to
make it more responsive to all the emerging challenges. Preparations for the 17th EAS
Summit which is scheduled to be held in November 2022, were also discussed.
The 29th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) interacted on international and regional issues, as
well as the future pathway for the ARF. It adopted two Statements:
● The ARF Statement on Promoting Peace, Stability and Prosperity in the Region
through Preventive Measures.
● The ARF Statement on Supporting the Preservation of the Southeast Asia Nuclear
Weapon Free Zone (SEANWFZ).
India had earlier this year, co-chaired the 13th ASEAN Regional Forum’s Inter-Sessional
Meeting on Maritime Security on 12 May 2022. India will also co-chair the series of
workshops on International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code) during the
year 2022 – 2023.
The meetings were held in cordial and friendly terms and they further enhanced India’s
bilateral and multilateral engagements with
