According to EAM Jaishankar, the Mekong region’s peace and prosperity are crucial to India’s Act East policy

S. Jaishankar, the minister of external affairs, said on Sunday that the Mekong region’s peace and prosperity are essential to achieving India’s Act East policy’s goal of security and development for all of the region’s nations.

Jaishankar said that the lower Mekong area has enormous importance for India in both a historical and present sense during his opening comments at the 12th Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) Mechanism meeting held here. He said, “We stand for the old river civilizations of our continent.

Six nations—India and five ASEAN nations—Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam—have joined forces to form the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC), which aims to promote cooperation in the areas of tourism, culture, education, as well as transportation and communications. According to India’s Act East strategy, “peace and prosperity in the region also play a pivotal role in realizing Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi’s vision of security and growth for all in the region.”

“The Mekong Ganga Cooperation holds a special place in this region as the oldest sub-regional cooperation rooted in the rich historical, geographical, and cultural ties among our six member countries,” stated Jaishankar. According to him, it “epitomizes our commitment to build upon a rich heritage and channel our collective aspirations into concrete actions that will positively impact the lives of our citizens.”

He said that India remains unwavering in its commitment to strengthening comprehensive connectivity across the region. “Our dedication goes beyond the negotiations. Jaishankar cited a number of major initiatives, including the MGC, MGC scholarships, the Centre for Excellence in Software Development training, and the MGC traditional weaving museum, as examples of how it is anchored in action.

These initiatives “bear testament to our commitment for on-the-ground implementation,” the minister stated of them. According to him, India has also appreciated the Mekong subregion nations’ attempt to coordinate different regional development projects.

“We aim to fulfil the contemporary aspirations of our people, fostering an environment of growth stability and shared opportunities,” Jaishankar said.