Manila, April 9: Senior officials from India and the Philippines convened in Manila for the 28th ASEAN-India Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM), focusing on advancing bilateral cooperation and implementing key decisions from the October 2025 ASEAN-India Summit.
Co-chaired by Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs, Periasamy Kumaran, and Undersecretary for Policy, Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs, Leo M Herrera-Lim, the meeting evaluated progress on the ASEAN-India strategic partnership and outlined collaborative measures for the Year of Maritime Cooperation in 2026.
The meeting included plenary and retreat sessions attended by representatives from all ASEAN member states and the Deputy Secretary-General for the ASEAN Political-Security Community. Participants explored strategies to enhance ASEAN’s external relations and prepare for the upcoming 48th ASEAN Summit scheduled for May 2026.
During the SOM, Kumaran engaged with think tanks, academic experts, and policy analysts in Manila, exchanging views on a broad range of bilateral and global issues, according to the Indian Embassy in the Philippines.
Kumaran also held a high-level discussion with Philippines Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Maria Theresa P. Lazaro, reviewing progress in the India-Philippines strategic partnership and reaffirming India’s active support for ASEAN initiatives. Lazaro described the meeting as a productive exchange that reinforced shared priorities between both nations.
The discussions focused on translating Summit-level agreements into actionable outcomes, enhancing maritime cooperation, and strengthening economic, cultural, and security linkages within the ASEAN framework. The officials emphasized collaborative measures to ensure effective implementation of agreements across member states.
ASEAN, founded in 1967 through the Bangkok Declaration by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, now comprises 11 members with the inclusion of Timor-Leste in 2025. Over the decades, ASEAN has expanded its community-building and regional integration efforts, emphasizing cooperation in political-security, economic, and socio-cultural domains.
The SOM in Manila underlines India’s commitment to deepening engagement with Southeast Asia, strengthening multilateral ties, and supporting ASEAN-led initiatives for regional stability and economic growth. Officials noted that sustained dialogue and implementation of prior agreements remain central to reinforcing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The case of India-Philippines collaboration demonstrates how ASEAN-India relations continue to evolve, highlighting shared priorities in maritime security, trade, and regional cooperation for 2026.
