External Affairs Minister S Jaishakar and Laoation Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith launched a special stamp set on Saturday during a bilateral meeting of the two leaders. The Union minister was in Vientiane, the capital of the Laos People's Democratic Republic to participate in the meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
"Launched a special stamp set celebrating our shared cultural treasures of Ramayana and Buddhism," Jaishankar said on X.
During the meeting, the two sides exchanged a Memorandum of Understandings on 10 Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) for Laos under Mekong Ganga Cooperation and cooperation in sharing successful Digital Solutions, he added.
The Mekong-Ganga Cooperation is an initiative by six countries, India and five ASEAN countries, namely, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The initiative aims towards cooperation in tourism, culture, education, as well as transport and communications.
Jaishankar also called on Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and raised the issue of trafficking of Indian nationals through cyber scam centres in the Southeast Asian country, reported PTI. He also discussed development partnerships and cooperation in areas like defence and energy, the report added.
In Vientiane, the EAM participated in the 31st ASEAN Regional Forum and addressed the 14th East Asia Summit (#EAS) of the Foreign Ministers Meeting. Later, he went ahead with his cultural interactions, including with monks.
“Pleased to interact with scholars from Lao PDR including six monks, who are travelling to India for their studies under various @iccr_hq programs. Happy to see India-Laos education partnership and capacity building in action, touching lives of common people,” he said in another post on X.