India to boost people-to-people linkage with ASEAN countries 

By Rachelle M. Nessia 

NEW DELHI, Feb. 14 (PIA) -- India is bent on pursuing a greater physical connectivity with its Asian neighbors as it marks this year two decades of partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). 

India’s External Affairs Minister Shri Krishna announced in his keynote speech during the inaugural session of the Delhi Dialogue IV in New Delhi today that India is keen on cultivating further the people-to-people dimension of its relationship with countries comprising the ASEAN. 

Krishna announced that India would be hosting 250 ASEAN exchange students this year, which is up from the 100 students annually, after ASEAN and India signed a memorandum of understanding last month on strengthening tourism cooperation. 

He also disclosed that the ASEAN-India Media Exchange Programme has been institutionalized by bringing over a group of 20 ASEAN journalists to cover the fourth Delhi Dialogue. 

ASEAN countries, in return, will host 40 Indian journalists over the next three years. 

“We look forward to the next batch of 20 ASEAN journalists coming to India in December 2012 at the time of the special ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit,” said Krishna. 

He also revealed that the Foreign Service Institute of India is organizing a special training course for 50 ASEAN diplomats annually. 

The Delhi Dialogue started in 2009 with the aim of providing a venue for leaders from the ASEAN region and India to discuss ways how to significantly increase cooperation in key areas for the mutual benefit of their peoples. 

Krishna is hopeful that the fourth Delhi Dialogue will result in “quantifiable recommendations” for a better ASEAN-India strategic partnership while gaining relevance even beyond the collective borders of ASEAN and India. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)