Guwahati, Feb 25 (PTI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said the review of the trade agreement between India and ASEAN countries should not be further delayed.

There has been steady growth and deepening of ties between New Delhi and these countries which should be further leveraged by all concerned, Jaishankar said at a session on 'Act East, Act Fast and Act First' at the Advantage Assam Summit here.

Since the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, India has received the Presidents of Indonesia and Singapore as well as the Prime Ministers of Malaysia and Vietnam, he said.

"The trade agreement must be pursued as this can help give a fresh economic boost to this relationship with opportunities in emerging areas like AI, semiconductors, green shipping and green hydrogen actively pursued," he said.

Malaysia and Thailand have liberalised visas for Indians and other ASEAN members have also expanded air connectivity while education and skill development can be domains for future cooperation as well, the minister said.

The real game changer in the neighbourhood policy will be the completion of the India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) Highway, the progress of which is currently challenged by the internal strife in Myanmar, Jaishankar said.

"We cannot allow this to block something so momentous. Practical solutions will have to be found to ensure the advancement of this initiative," he added.

The Neighbourhood First policy has made significant progress, whether it is in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal or Myanmar, the minister said.

This policy guides the management of India's relations with countries in its immediate neighbourhood.

"We have seen new roads, checkpoints, rail links, waterways, power grids, fuel pipelines and transport facilities. There is much more to come in the years ahead," he said.

New opportunities have opened up and this is truly a "win-win outcome" which must be nurtured and taken forward, the minister said.

"If we recall the challenges of the COVID and the fall out of the Ukraine conflict, India also acted fast and acted first in terms of vaccine supplies, flow of food grains, supply of fertilisers and availability of fuel," he said.

For this, it was crucial that our partners have an equally positive view of these prospects, he added.

There are neighbours who have leveraged the possibility of growth opportunities and "we welcome that as we believe that our track record since 2014 should put to rest any ambivalence", he said.

Some quarters, however, see only problems rather than look for solutions but at the end of the day, regional growth requires whole-hearted cooperation, Jaishankar said.

Both Japan and South Korea have also emerged as significant economic players in a range of areas in India, he said.

Japan has accorded priority to the development projects in the North East in various fields, particularly in enhancing mobility and educational exchanges, the minister said.

Assam and the North East will emerge as a major hub with steady improvement of connectivity, skill development and advantage of geographical location, Jaishankar added. PTI DG NN

Trade agreement review with ASEAN should proceed to unlock cooperation in emerging sectors and regional connectivity. Review and renewal of the India-ASEAN trade agreement should be expedited to leverage deepening ties and stimulate cooperation in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, green shipping and green hydrogen. Completion of the India Myanmar Thailand Highway is identified as transformative but currently impeded by internal conflict in Myanmar, necessitating practical solutions to keep the connectivity agenda on track. Expanded visa liberalisation, air links, and targeted education and skill development cooperation are immediate mechanisms to strengthen regional economic integration.