Overview of 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

In October 2025, the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit was held, under Malaysia’s chairmanship of ASEAN, at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC)in KL, Malaysia, from October 26-28 2025.

• The theme of the summit was “Inclusivity and Sustainability”, emphasizing broader participation and a commitment to long-term growth and stability.
• Union Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), represented India and Prime Minister(PM) of India Narendra Modi virtually participated in the summit.

About 47th ASEAN Summit:

Overview: Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister(PM) of Malaysia, chaired the 47th ASEAN Summit, which comprised Plenary and Retreat Sessions. Participating Nations: The 47th ASEAN Summit was attended by ten ASEAN member states : Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam,  with Timor-Leste formally joining as the 11th member during the summit.

Chief Guests: The Plenary Session featured Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, Antonio Costa, President of the European Council(EC), and Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director(MD) of the International Monetary Fund(IMF), as special guests of the ASEAN Chair.

Session: During the Plenary Session, ASEAN Leaders discussed community-building and external relations, while the Retreat Session focused on reviewing the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) on Myanmar and addressing key regional and global issues.

Other Events: The series of meetings included the ASEAN Summit, along with the ASEAN Plus One Summits between ASEAN and its seven Dialogue Partners: Australia, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Russia, and the United States of America(USA). 

• It also featured the ASEAN Plus Three Summit, the East Asia Summit, the ASEAN–United Nations(UN) Summit, East Asia Summit(EAS) 2025 and the ASEAN–New Zealand Commemorative Summit marking 50 years of dialogue relations.
• Additionally, Malaysia hosted the 5th Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Summit and the 3rd Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Leaders’ Meeting and ASEAN-India summit 2025 on the sidelines of the main events.

About 20th East Asia Summit (EAS):

On October 27, 2025, the 20th EAS, chaired by Prime Minister (PM) of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim, held in KL, Malaysia, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of EAS.

• The EAS summit was organized under the framework of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) along with its key dialogue partners.

India’s Representation:Union Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, MEA, represented India during the EAS on behalf of PM Narendra Modi.

• He proposed to host an EAS Maritime Heritage Festival at the ancient port city of Lothal (Gujarat), and hosting the 7th EAS Conference on Maritime Security Cooperation.

Background: EAS, established in 2005, is the premier forum for dialogue on political, security, and economic issues in the Indo-Pacific region. It brings together 18 countries, encompassing 10 ASEAN countries and 8 dialogue partners.

22nd ASEAN-India Summit:

PM Narendra Modi’s Participation: On October 26, 2025, the 22nd ASEAN–India Summit was held virtually alongside the 47th ASEAN Summit, with PM Narendra Modi participated virtually.

• During the meeting, he reviewed the progress of ASEAN–India relations and discussed measures to strengthen their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP).
• The 2025 summit marks the 12th participation of PM Modi in the ASEAN-India Summit.

ASEAN–India Year of Maritime Cooperation: During the summit, PM Narendra Modi announced 2026 as the ASEAN–India Year of Maritime Cooperation, highlighting India’s commitment to strengthen ties in maritime security, connectivity, trade, blue economy, and marine environmental protection.

• The initiative aligns with India’s Act East Policy and Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) vision, emphasizing a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.

Early review: PM Narendra Modi called for an early review of the ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) (ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement, ATIGA) to unlock greater trade and regional growth potential.

ASEAN-India Joint Leaders’ Statement: During the summit, India and ASEAN adopted a Joint Leaders’ Statement on Sustainable Tourism, highlighting the shared commitment of India and ASEAN to promote eco-friendly tourism practices, reduce pollution, and protect cultural and natural heritage across the region.

• Under the joint framework, India and ASEAN pledged to encourage responsible travel, promote green tourism infrastructure, and support community-based tourism models, benefitting local populations while safeguarding the environment.

MoU signed:

FIFA: During the summit, International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ASEAN for a period of five years.

• The MoU focuses on promoting sports integrity, leveraging sport for social & economic development across the region.
• As part of the partnership, FIFA announced the launch of the FIFA ASEAN Cup, a regional national-team football tournament for all ASEAN member associations.

ACFTA: China and ASEAN formally signed the upgraded version of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA), which was initially agreed in 2002 and came into force in 2010.

Others:

ASEAN AI SAFE: During the 47th ASEAN Summit, leaders adopted the Declaration on the Establishment of the ASEAN AI Safety Network (ASEAN AI SAFE) to promote responsible and secure development and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across the region.

ASEAN Minerals Development Vision: During the Summit, leaders endorsed the Declaration on the ASEAN Minerals Development Vision, aimed at promoting sustainable, responsible, and inclusive mineral resource development across the region.

Socio-Cultural Sustainability:During the 22nd ASEAN-India Summit, the member states reaffirmed commitments on socio-cultural sustainability under ASEAN’s Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Pillar.

• The pillar focuses on building an inclusive, people-centered community that promotes well-being, improved livelihoods, social justice, and the preservation of cultural and heritage.

Chairmanship Transition: The series of Summits also marked the culmination of Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship for 2025, ahead of the Philippines assuming the role on 1 January 2026.

• The handover ceremony of the ASEAN Chairmanship from Malaysia to the Philippines took place on 28 October 2025.
• The 48th ASEAN Summit is scheduled to be hosted by the Philippines in 2026.

Kuala Lumpur Declaration on Peace and Stability:

Declaration: During the summit, the leaders adopted the KL Declaration on Peace and Stability, reaffirming their commitment to regional peace, security, and prosperity.

Focus:The declaration emphasizes Upholding international law and the United Nations (UN) Charter, Supporting ASEAN centrality in the regional architecture, Promoting the peaceful settlement of disputes and responsible state behavior, and enhancing cooperation in disaster preparedness and humanitarian response.

2025 Initiatives by GoI:

Under the theme, Government of India (GOI) announced several initiatives to deepen ASEAN-India cooperation. It includes:

• Support for the ASEAN-India Plan of Action (2026-2030)
• Proposal to hold the 2nd ASEAN-India Defense Ministers’ Meeting and Maritime Exercise
• Continued role of India as a First Responder in crises, with enhanced cooperation in disaster preparedness and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).
• Training 400 professionals in RE to support the ASEAN Power Grid
• Extending Quick Impact Projects to Timor Leste
• Strengthening cooperation in education, energy, Science & Technology (S&T), fintech, culture, semiconductors, infrastructure, rare earths, and critical minerals.

About Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN):
Secretary-General – Kao Kim Hourn (Malaysia)
Headquarters – Jakarta, Indonesia
Established – 1967