In response to a query on India’s view on the recently announced ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (announced by ASEAN on Sunday June 24), the Official Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said:
We have seen the text of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, issued at the ASEAN Summit in Bangkok on June 24. Given our Prime Minister's enunciation at the Shangri-La Dialogue in June 2018 of a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific, of which
India is an important part, we warmly welcome ASEAN's decision to articulate its own views of the concept. While we are studying the ASEAN perspective closely, we see important elements of convergence with our own views, especially from the standpoint of principles,
as well as its approach and ASEAN's listing of areas of cooperation.
We look forward to exchanging views on the Indo-Pacific with our ASEAN Partners.
New Delhi
June 26, 2019