Vice President Hamid Ansari held delegation level talks with the Laotian leadership. India and Laos signed Air service agreement and another agreement on India’s grand assistance for quick impact projects were signed after the talks. The Vice President, who is on a 4 day visit to Cambodia and Laos, said India wants to build a “solid” relationship with ASEAN countries and is looking to actively build linkages with them. He held talks with the Laotian leadership to bolster economic engagement as part of the Act East policy. This is the first visit of an Indian Vice President to Laos.
The Vice President urged Laas Leadership to continue its active support to India for the reforms in UNSC. He identified three key areas – Mining, Plantation, and SMEs for investments by Indian companies. A business delegation from India will visit Laos by the end of 2015.
The two countries also discusses on issues of bilateral security cooperation as well as in the context of ASEAN. The issue of furthering the Buddhist pilgrimage circuit linkages was also agreed by the two countries. India has offered two scholarship for Buddhist Studies in India and also scholarship for the participation of two Lao journalists in the North East music Festival in Shillong.
Laos – Facts
- Vientiane is the Capital of Laos. Lao Kip is the currency of Laos.
- Laos is a land locked country and surrounded by China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar.
- According to the anti-corruption non-governmental organization Transparency International, Laos remains one of the most corrupt countries in the world.
- The Lao economy depends heavily on investment and trade with its neighbours, Thailand, Vietnam, and, especially in the north, China.
- Lieutenant General Choummaly Sayasone is a Laotian politician who has been General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and President of Laos since 2006.
Test Your Knowledge
The Member Countries of ASEAN are
Which city hosted the 2015 ASEAN Summit in April 2015?
