India and ASEAN reaffirm importance of maintaining maritime safety and security to promote peaceful resolutions of disputes

India and ASEAN nations have reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, stability, maritime safety and security to promote peaceful resolutions of disputes, in accordance with universally recognised principles of international law. In a Joint Statement on Strengthening ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the leaders of India and ASEAN countries supported the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea in its entirety and look forward to the early conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. They also agreed to strengthen cooperation in maritime security, counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, transnational crime, defence industry, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, peacekeeping and demining operations and confidence building measures.