PRRD leaves for India-ASEAN Summit

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is accorded with foyer honors before departing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila on January 24, 2018 for his attendance to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-India Commemorative Summit in India. Accompanying the President is Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Rey Guerrero. (Photo by Alfred Frias/Presidential Photo)

MANILA— President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday left for New Delhi to attend the India-ASEAN Special Commemorative Summit and India’s Republic Day Celebration slated from Thursday to Friday.

In his departure speech at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2, Duterte said he would take advantage of his first foreign trip this year to build a platform that would address terrorism and other law and order problems.

“The reason really why I’m going is that, we’re okay with ASEAN but it’s all trade and commerce and everything else under the sun, except but we do not have the platform for terrorism and other problems of law and order,” Duterte said.

“It is very important that I talk to the ASEAN regarding another platform aside from the trade and commerce and everything that has something to do with the security,” he added.

Duterte said terrorists and other criminal elements were using the Celebes and Sulu Sea as well as Moluccas to sow terror in Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines.

“They cannot accomplish anything because our waters contiguous to the archipelago of the Philippines is getting to be dangerous and yet it is only Indonesia who’s active there,” Duterte said.

“I will tell you, if we can do it, we’ll just have to call China to come in and blow them off just like Somalia, that Aden Strait there, were it not for the presence of the Chinese, piracy there will not stop,” he added.

Duterte and his delegation left at 1:30 p.m. on board a Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight and are expected to arrive in New Delhi at 5:15 p.m. (Manila Time).

Duterte is scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be followed by ceremonial exchange of Memoranda of Understanding at Hyderabad House on Wednesday night.

Before attending the India-ASEAN Special Commemorative Summit, Duterte, along with other leaders of 10-member Association of South East Asian Nation (ASEAN), will be formally welcomed by Indian President Ram Nath in a special luncheon on January 25.

On Friday, Duterte and other ASEAN leaders will attend as “Chief Guests” of the India’s Republic Day celebration.

After the grand Republic Day ceremony and parade, the Filipino leader will witness the signing of business agreements between the Philippines and India.

Modi invited Duterte to attend the Commemorative Summit and the Republic Day when the Indian Prime Minister attended the ASEAN Summit and held bilateral meeting with the Filipino leader in Manila in November 2017.

Duterte and Modi are expected to talk more on possible increase in trade particularly in the field of generic medicine which the two leaders discussed during their first bilateral meeting at the sidelines of the 30th ASEAN Summit in November last year.

As one of the 10 leaders invited in the ASEAN-India Summit, Duterte is expected to deliver a speech both for the plenary and retreat sessions, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Assistant Secretary for Office of ASEAN Affairs Hellen dela Vega said retreat session would focus on maritime cooperation while plenary session would discuss regional and international issues as well as future course of ASEAN-India relations under theme: Shared Values and Common Destiny.”

Aside from the Philippines, other ASEAN members include Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Singapore and Malaysia.

She said the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit was the culminating activity for the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-India relations which the Philippines started when it chaired ASEAN in January last year.

India, one of the most populous countries with 1.33 billion people, is an important dialogue partner of ASEAN.

Among the priority areas of cooperation under ASEAN-India plan of action are trade and investment, connectivity, agriculture, tourism, culture, science and technology and climate change.

Dela Vega said India was one of the first non-ASEAN signatories of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and an important partner of ASEAN in promoting regional peace and stability.

With its USD2.2 trillion gross domestic product (GDP), India remains as one of ASEAN’s top trading partners in 2016 with total trade volume amounting to USD58.45 billion.

India ranked as the 7th largest source of foreign direct investments with inflows from India to ASEAN recorded at nearly USD1.5 billion in 2016 and was one of ASEAN’s top five partners in development assistance with funded projects and programs amounting to USD55.

5 million in 2017.