15th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meet held in Malaysia

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Kuala Lumpur, July 11 (IANS) The 15th East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (FMM) was held on Friday in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, reviewing the ongoing EAS cooperation and discussing its future direction.

The leaders also exchanged views on regional and international developments.

“The EAS participating countries reaffirmed their commitment towards further strengthening the EAS as the Leaders-led forum for dialogue and cooperation on strategic, political, and economic issues of mutual interest and concern in the region, particularly in view of the 20th anniversary of the EAS this year,” ASEAN posted on its official X handle.

“The meeting was attended by the Foreign Ministers or their representatives from EAS participating countries and the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Kao Kim Hourn. Timor-Leste attended as an Observer,” the post added.

The EAS is the premier leaders-led forum in the Asia-Pacific. Since its inception in 2005, it has played a significant role in the strategic, geopolitical and economic evolution of East Asia. It comprises 18 participating countries.

Apart from the 10 ASEAN Member states, namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, the EAS includes India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Russia.

Union Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday night at the invitation of the current ASEAN Chair, Malaysia, to participate in the ASEAN-India FMM, the 15th East Asia Summit FMM and the 32nd ASEAN Regional Forum scheduled from July 10–11, as part of the 58th ASEAN FMM and related events.

Last month, addressing the East Asia Summit Senior Officials’ Meeting (EAS SOM) in Malaysia’s Penang, P. Kumaran, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, underlined the important role of EAS towards promoting a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific.

Kumaran, who led the Indian delegation at the summit, shared New Delhi’s position on regional and international issues as the premier leaders-led mechanism marks its 20th anniversary this year.

–IANS

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The Chief Minister’s office in a post on X on Monday said, “Backed by Rs 3.3 lakh crore in investments and 7 lakh new jobs, the state is blending affordability with sustainability. This is more than a transition, it’s a blueprint for inclusive, green growth!”

The CMO quoted the article written by the Energy Department’s Additional Chief Secretary Abha Shukla.

“India’s electricity demand is rising rapidly. By 2030, driven by economic growth, industrialisation, and population pressure, the country’s power consumption is expected to touch unprecedented levels. In this context, Maharashtra’s approach stands out as a powerful example of how forward-thinking policy and long-term vision can turn a challenge into an opportunity,” read the article.

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The broader transition plan is expected to attract investments worth Rs 3.3 lakh crore by 2030. Significantly, 75 per cent of this investment will be within Maharashtra and will be largely driven by the private sector. This scale of capital infusion promises to reshape the energy ecosystem and, in turn, the economy, it said.

For India to remain competitive in the global energy and manufacturing markets, it must deliver power that is not just clean but also affordable and reliable.

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