Renewed agreement: Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan (right) shaking hands with Jaishankar on the sidelines of the 47th Asean Summit and Related Summits in Kuala Lumpur. — Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: Asean and India have pledged to chart a greener path for tourism, committing to develop the sector through sustainable, community-focused, and eco-friendly practices.
Both sides reaffirmed their pledge to promote their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, guided by the fundamental principles, shared values and norms that have steered the Asean-India Dialogue Relations since its establishment in 1992.
In a joint statement, they reaffirmed their longstanding ties and agreed to promote sustainable tourism guided by green, blue, and circular economy principles – from conserving cultural heritage and protecting biodiversity to adopting renewable energy and waste reduction measures.
The partnership aims to boost tourism’s role as a driver of economic growth and cultural exchange while ensuring that development benefits local communities and preserves the environment across the region.
“(We will use) the existing collaboration mechanism of the Asean and India Tourism Working Group and Tourism Ministers’ Meeting to promote sustainable tourism in the region,” they said in the statement.
They stated that the plan included ideas from several important documents, such as the Vision Statement from the Asean-India Commemorative Summit in 2012, the Delhi Declaration from the 25th Anniversary Summit in 2018, the Joint Statement on Cooperation for Peace and Prosperity in 2021, and the Joint Statement on the Asean-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022.
The partners said they will prioritise environmental sustainability by embracing the “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle” model and adopting sustainable, pro-community practices such as optimal use of land and water resources, decarbonisation and biodiversity-friendly tourism management.
Efforts include reducing air, water and land pollution through responsible consumption, renewable energy adoption, waste management and enforcement of environmental standards.
Collaboration with the Asean Centre for Energy and India’s The Energy and Resources Institute (Teri) will be encouraged to promote renewable energy solutions in tourism sites, especially around pollution-sensitive heritage monuments.
Asean and India said they would encourage ecotourism that balances the needs of visitors and residents, maximises tourism’s contribution to local prosperity, and fosters tourism-related investments in low-carbon and resource-efficient infrastructure.
Digital technologies and data-driven tourism management will also be leveraged to improve visitor experiences and enhance sustainability.
Both sides will conserve historical and cultural heritage, promote World Heritage nominations, and involve local communities in heritage-based tourism such as fashion, handicraft, and gastronomy.
Capacity-building and certification programmes will strengthen local competitiveness, while existing Asean-India collaborations, including networks on museums, monuments, crafts, textiles, and gastronomy, will be oriented toward sustainable tourism.
Meanwhile, India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar has called for stronger regional maritime cooperation with Asean.
He also said India was calling for zero tolerance on terrorism, which poses a continuous and corrosive threat.
“Our commitment to furthering maritime cooperation remains strong, in line with the Asean Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and our shared commitment to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. [The year] 2026 will be observed as the Asean-India Year of Maritime Cooperation.
“Notably, more nations have joined the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative,” he said on X during his remarks at the 20th East Asia Summit, which took place at the 47th Asean Summits and Related Summits yesterday.
Jaishankar also said that there are conflicts that have significant repercussions that have disrupted food security and trade.
“India, therefore, welcomes the Gaza peace plan. We also seek an early end to the conflict in Ukraine,” he said.
Jaishankar also had a bilateral meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Kuala Lumpur amid a backdrop of trade negotiations between the two countries.
