External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday, 22 July 2026 called for significantly deeper cooperation between India and ASEAN member states, warning that no single nation or regional grouping can navigate today's turbulent global environment alone. Speaking at the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference with India 2026 in Manila, Jaishankar framed the gathering as a pivotal moment for the India-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Key Remarks from Manila

Opening his address, Jaishankar acknowledged the Philippines for its hospitality and its role as country coordinator in advancing the bilateral partnership. He drew directly from the conference theme to set the tone: 'The chairship team navigating our future together captures the sentiment which many of us feel today. The world is extremely turbulent, and it is increasingly evident that no single nation or even grouping can deal with it on its own,' he said.

He urged member states to reflect collectively on how greater cooperation could better serve shared interests in a rapidly shifting global order.

Supply Chains, Maritime Trade, and Security

Jaishankar highlighted the cascading pressures facing the international community, pointing to supply chain stress as the most visible symptom of global volatility. 'Energy, food, and health security can no longer be taken for granted. Because we are all so dependent on maritime trade, that too could become a source of anxiety. Observing international law in that regard is therefore vital,' he stated.

This comes amid ongoing tensions in global shipping lanes and continued uncertainty over energy markets. The emphasis on maritime law carries particular resonance in the South China Sea context, a region where several ASEAN members have active territorial disputes.

ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation

The minister noted that 2026 has been designated the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation, calling it a 'timely reminder of what we can do for a more stable and secure future.' The designation signals a deliberate effort to deepen coordination on blue economy initiatives, port connectivity, and maritime security frameworks between the two blocs.

The India-ASEAN Agenda: Trade, Tech, and Connectivity

Jaishankar outlined a broad and expanding bilateral agenda spanning trade and investment, mobility and talent, technology, digital infrastructure, aviation, green transition, and connectivity. He was direct about the strategic logic: 'It is only through deeper cooperation that we can de-risk and diversify,' he said — a clear reference to supply chain realignment away from single-source dependencies, a theme that has gained urgency across Asia since the pandemic.

Notably, he reaffirmed ASEAN centrality as a foundational principle of India's foreign policy, citing the alignment between the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and India's own Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IORA) as a working example of convergence.

India and ASEAN: A Combined Weight of 2 Billion

Closing his remarks, Jaishankar underscored the demographic and strategic heft that India and ASEAN collectively bring to global affairs. 'This is a world in transition, and India and ASEAN, who account for 2 billion, must navigate it together if it is to remain safe and steady,' he said.

The statement reflects India's broader Act East Policy calculus — that its strategic relevance in the Indo-Pacific is inseparable from the depth of its ASEAN engagement. With multilateralism under strain globally, the Manila conference is expected to produce renewed commitments on connectivity corridors and digital trade facilitation in the months ahead.