Vientiane: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held productive bilateral talks today with Prime Minister of Lao PDR Sonexay Siphandone during his visit to Vientiane. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 21st ASEAN-India and 19th East Asia Summits, where PM Modi congratulated his Lao counterpart for successfully hosting the major regional events.
The two leaders discussed a range of issues aimed at further strengthening the civilizational and contemporary ties between India and Laos. Key areas of cooperation highlighted during the discussions included development partnership, capacity building, disaster management, renewable energy, heritage restoration, economic ties, defence collaboration, and people-to-people connections.
PM Siphandone expressed his gratitude for India’s flood relief assistance following Typhoon Yagi and praised the ongoing partnership between the two nations. The leaders particularly noted the ongoing restoration and conservation efforts of Vat Phou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is being undertaken by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). These efforts, supported by Indian assistance, add a significant cultural dimension to the relationship between the two countries.
Both Prime Ministers expressed satisfaction with the close cooperation between India and Lao PDR in regional and multilateral fora. PM Siphandone reaffirmed India’s vital role on the international stage, while noting India’s strong support for Lao PDR’s Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2024.
Following their talks, the two leaders witnessed the exchange of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements. These included partnerships in the fields of defence, broadcasting, and customs cooperation. Additionally, three Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) under the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation were announced, focusing on the preservation of the Lao Ramayan heritage, the restoration of the Wat Pakea Buddhist temple, and support for shadow puppetry theatre in Champasak province. Each project will receive approximately USD 50,000 in Indian grant assistance.
India also pledged USD 1 million through the India UN Development Partnership Fund to improve nutrition security in Lao PDR, marking the Fund’s first project in Southeast Asia.
