22 NOVEMBER 2015

Ø  The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the trade between India and the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (Asean) should increase to $100 billion by 2020 and to $200 billion by 2025. During 2014-15, after a temporary decline, the trade stood at $76.5 billion. Mr. Modi pointed out that much of the potential for economic partnership remained untapped and expressed the confidence that trade and investment would expand. He said India would soon extend electronic visa facility to all 10 Asean members. The Prime Minister also intends to set up an Asean-India innovation platform to facilitate commercialisation of low-cost technologies, technology transfer and collaborative research and development projects. Laying special emphasis on India’s partnership with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, he said India would create a project development fund to create manufacturing hubs in the four countries. As for climate change, Mr. Modi proposed an international solar alliance of 122 solar-rich countries, which he and French President Francois Hollande would launch at the Paris convention on November 30. The proposals made by Mr. Modi included the opening of an Asean studies centre at the Northeastern Hill University in Shillong and establishment of 100 slots for training in renewable energy in Asean institutions.

Ø  Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke of better connectivity between India and the Southeast Asian region at the ASEAN summit at Kuala Lumpur,India’s easternmost strategic airfield at Teju has been revived with a new runway. The runway can now host heavy lift aircraft as well as long range bombers which can cross the Greater Himalayan range within minutes. Teju is part of the six strategic airfields that were planned for Arunachal Pradesh. But the Teju airfield which will increaseair connectivity with the region is unique as it is the easternmost landing strip in the country. However, local sources have told The Hindu that a major strategic airfield is barely months from completion at Walong too. Once ready, the Walong landing strip along side the Teju airfield will multiply India’s strategic reach into East and Southeast Asia.