National
Philippines visit symbolises India’s commitment to Asean: PM
New Delhi Nov 11 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said his visit to the Philippines for the 15th India-Asean Summit, the 12th East Asia Summit and his bilateral meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte, symbolises India’s commitment to continue deepening its ties with Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific region.
In a statement ahead of his departure on Sunday for a three-day visit to the Philippines, Modi said it will be his first bilateral visit to the Asean member state.
He said his participation in the two summits symbolises India’s commitment to continue deepening relationship with Asean member states, in particular, and with the Indo-Pacific region, in general, within the framework of the government’s Act East Policy.
The Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Modi said that besides the two summits, he would also participate in special celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Asean, the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Leaders’ Meeting and an Asean Business and Investment Summit.
RCEP is a proposed free trade agreement between the 10 Asean member states and the six states with which the grouping has free trade pacts – Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand.
“The Asean Business and Investment Summit will boost our close cooperation to further enhance our trade ties with Asean member states, which constitutes a significant 10.85 per cent of our overall trade,” the Prime Minister said.
“During my first visit to the Philippines, I look forward to have a bilateral meeting with President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte. I will also have interactions with other Asean and East Asia Summit leaders.”
Stating that he looked forward to connecting with the Indian community in Philippines, Modi said that he would also visit the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Mahavir Philippines Foundation Inc. (MPFI).
He said that the IRRI “through scientific research and development has developed better quality of rice seed and helped the global community in addressing food scarcity issues”.
Stating that a large number of Indian scientists are working in IRRI, he said: “My cabinet approved on July 12, 2017, a proposal for IRRI to set up its South Asia Regional Centre at Varanasi. This will be the first research centre by IRRI outside its headquarters in the Philippines. The Varanasi centre would help increase farmers’ income by enhancing and supporting rice productivity, reducing cost of production, value addition, diversification and enhancement of farmers’ skills.”
As for his visit to the MPFI, he said that it would demonstrate India’s support for its activities in distributing free prosthesis Jaipur Foot among the needy amputees.
“Since its establishment in 1989, MPFI has fitted nearly 15,000 amputees in the Philippines with Jaipur Foot making them capable of living a new life,” he said, adding that the Indian government was making “a modest contribution” to the foundation to support its noble humanitarian activities.
“I am confident that my visit to Manila will give a new boost to India’s bilateral relations with the Philippines and also further strengthen the politico-security, economic and socio-cultural pillars of our engagement with Asean,” the Prime Minister added.
–IANS
ab/rn
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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