Article Posted on : - Dec 21, 2012

Prime Minister Mammohan Singh joins hands with ASEAN leaders during a group photo session at ASEAN - India Commemorative Summit in New Delhi on Thursday. A PTI photo

NEW DELHI (PTI): India and Southeast Asian countries have agreed to strengthen cooperation in strategically crucial areas of maritime security and freedom of navigation, a move which comes at a time of increasing assertiveness by China in resource-rich South China Sea.

At the ASEAN-India summit in New Delhi, leaders of the 10-member group and India on Thursday adopted a vision statement, elevating their ties to strategic level and deepening cooperation in key areas of security, political and economic.

"We are committed to strengthening cooperation to ensure maritime security and freedom of navigation, and safety of sea lanes of communication for unfettered movement of trade in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS.

"We agree to promote maritime cooperation, including through engagement in the ASEAN Maritime Forum (AMF) and its expanded format, to address common challenges on maritime issues, including sea piracy, search and rescue at sea, maritime environment, maritime security, maritime connectivity, freedom of navigation, fisheries, and other areas of cooperation," the vision document said.

During their addresses, the leaders of the Philippines and Vietnam also referred to tensions in their region.

Other members of ASEAN include Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei and Laos.

"At this time of rising concerns about maritime issues, the need to maintain a high level of maritime security and freedom of navigation offers us ... an opportunity for enhanced cooperation," Philippines Vice President Jejomar Binay said.

In his speech, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said there should be enhanced maritime cooperation with India given that 70 per cent of the world's traffic in petroleum products passes through the Indian Ocean from the Middle East to East Asia.

The vision document also said the leaders will continue to exert efforts and cooperate to effectively implement the Plan of Action to implement the ASEAN-India Partnership for Peace, Progress and Shared Prosperity (2010-2015).