Jaishankar delivers opening remarks at ASEAN PMC 2026 in Manila
Synopsis
External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar addressed the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference 2026 in Manila on 22 July, reinforcing India's Act East Policy and its sustained ministerial engagement with the ten-member Southeast Asian bloc.
Key Takeaways
Jaishankar delivered opening remarks at the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference with India 2026 in Manila, Philippines on 22 July 2026 .
The Philippines holds the ASEAN chair in 2026 and is hosting the conference.
India has been a full dialogue partner of ASEAN since 1995 and a strategic partner since 2012 .
Prime Minister Modi launched the Act East Policy in 2014 , which frames India's deepened engagement with Southeast Asia.
The PMC is the principal mechanism for reviewing the ASEAN-India Plan of Action and coordinating positions ahead of wider East Asia forums.
An ASEAN-India Summit is expected later in 2026, with the Manila PMC likely to shape its agenda.
Union External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar delivered his opening remarks at the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference (PMC) with India 2026 in Manila, Philippines on Wednesday, 22 July 2026, as the Philippines holds the ASEAN chair this year. The conference marks a key annual touchpoint in India's engagement with the ten-member Southeast Asian bloc.
Context
The ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference is the principal ministerial-level forum through which ASEAN dialogue partners, including India, review the state of their bilateral relationship with the bloc. Held on the sidelines of the broader ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the PMC allows for a structured exchange on trade, connectivity, maritime security, and people-to-people ties. Manila is hosting the 2026 edition in its capacity as the current ASEAN chair.
Dr. Jaishankar's presence at the conference is consistent with India's pattern of sustained, senior-level engagement with ASEAN. As External Affairs Minister, he has been the primary interlocutor for India at these annual gatherings since 2019.
Policy Backdrop
India became a full dialogue partner of ASEAN in 1995 and the relationship was elevated to a strategic partnership in 2012 at the Commemorative Summit in New Delhi. The strategic architecture underpinning India's Southeast Asia engagement received a significant policy articulation when Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally launched the Act East Policy in 2014, replacing the earlier 'Look East' approach with a more action-oriented framework covering economic integration, physical connectivity, and security cooperation.
The ASEAN-India Plan of Action serves as the operational roadmap for this partnership, and the PMC is the primary mechanism for reviewing progress against that plan. Separately, the two sides have been engaged in a long-running review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement, which has been a recurring agenda item in recent ministerial interactions.
Stakeholders and Impact
The ten ASEAN member states — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam — each have distinct bilateral interests with India ranging from trade and investment to diaspora linkages and defence cooperation. For India, the forum is a critical platform to advance its Indo-Pacific positioning alongside partners who share an interest in a rules-based regional order.
The Indian diplomatic establishment, including missions across Southeast Asia, feeds into the preparatory work for these conferences. Outcomes and signals from the PMC typically shape the agenda for the higher-stakes ASEAN-India Summit, which is expected to take place later in 2026.
What's Next
The Manila PMC is expected to set the tone for India-ASEAN engagement in the second half of 2026, with the ASEAN-India Summit serving as the next major milestone. Progress on the review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement will be closely watched, as modernising the trade architecture has been a stated priority for both sides. Dr. Jaishankar's remarks and any joint statements emerging from Manila are likely to provide early signals on where the partnership is headed heading into the summit season.
Point of View
Rather than send a junior minister, signals that New Delhi continues to treat ASEAN as a tier-one diplomatic priority within its Indo-Pacific framework. With the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement review still unresolved and maritime security concerns in the South China Sea intensifying, the 2026 PMC carries more substantive weight than a ceremonial check-in. The Manila meeting is effectively the staging ground for whatever India hopes to achieve at the ASEAN-India Summit later this year.
NationPress
22 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference with India?
The ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference (PMC) with India is an annual ministerial-level meeting between ASEAN foreign ministers and India's External Affairs Minister to review the state of the India-ASEAN strategic partnership, covering trade, connectivity, and security.
Why is the 2026 ASEAN PMC being held in Manila?
The 2026 ASEAN PMC is being held in Manila because the Philippines holds the rotating ASEAN chairmanship in 2026, making it the host country for ASEAN's major ministerial meetings this year.
What is India's Act East Policy and how does it relate to ASEAN?
India's Act East Policy, launched by Prime Minister Modi in 2014, is the strategic framework guiding India's deepened economic, connectivity, and security engagement with Southeast Asia, with ASEAN at its core. It replaced the earlier 'Look East' approach with a more action-oriented agenda.
When did India become a strategic partner of ASEAN?
India became a strategic partner of ASEAN in 2012, at the Commemorative Summit held in New Delhi. India had been a full dialogue partner of the bloc since 1995.
What comes after the ASEAN PMC in India's engagement calendar?
The ASEAN-India Summit is the next major milestone after the PMC. It is expected to take place later in 2026 and will be informed by the outcomes and signals from the Manila ministerial meeting.
