Phnom Penh, Cambodia
18 November 2012

President Benigno S. Aquino III and Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh met on the sidelines of the 21st ASEAN Summit and Related Summits at Hotel Sofitel in Phnom Penh.

President Aquino and Prime Minister Singh said both countries can learn from each other’s challenges as they lead their respective panels in exploring opportunities to further boost economic ties.

PM Singh congratulated President Aquino on the signing of the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement and said that both countries can benefit from sharing experiences in the handling of post-conflict rebuilding.

He also said that India shares ASEAN’s concern for ensuring freedom of navigation and maritime security in the South China Sea, as well as for removing barriers to trade.

Both leaders exchanged views on the evolving global financial architecture in light of the economic crisis in Europe, continuing high unemployment in the U.S., and the slowdown in growth in Asia.

The President also informed PM Singh that Vice President Jejomar Binay will represent him in the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit that will be held on 20-21 December 2012 in New Delhi  to mark the 20th anniversary of the ASEAN-India Dialogue. The theme of the summit is ‘ASEAN-India Partnership for Peace and Shared Prosperity.’

According to PM Singh, this event signifies the full fruition of India’s integration with ASEAN.

The Philippines established diplomatic relations with India on 16 November 1949. After India’s independence in 1947, the Philippines and India signed a Treaty of Friendship on 11 July 1952 in Manila to strengthen and perpetuate the friendly relations existing between the two countries.

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