New Delhi [India], June 5 (ANI): Celebrating 70 years of diplomatic relations, India and the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) have further solidified their enduring partnership, concluding three significant agreements during the 10th India-Lao PDR Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) held this week in New Delhi.

The bilateral talks, co-chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and the visiting Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Laos, Thongsavan Phomvihane, focused on expanding cooperation across critical sectors, including trade, investment, healthcare, and energy.

Addressing the weekly press briefing on Friday, Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, confirmed that the two nations have finalised landmark agreements in pharmacopoeia, cultural exchange and defence training.

'The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Laos visited India for the 10th India-Lao PDR Joint Commission meeting, which our External Affairs Minister co-chaired. We have a strong development cooperation component with Laos, involving projects in cultural heritage restoration, capacity building, and community development. All these issues, including trade, investment, health, and energy, were discussed. We are also celebrating 70 years of diplomatic relations this year. Three important agreements--on pharmacopeia, cultural exchange, and defense training--were concluded during the visit,' he said.

These agreements complement India's existing development cooperation initiatives in Laos, which primarily focus on cultural heritage restoration, most notably the ongoing work at the My Son sanctuary and other Buddhist sites, as well as community-level development projects and human resource capacity building.

The visit highlighted the unique cultural affinity shared by the two nations. During a call on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on June 3, Minister Phomvihane received warm acknowledgement of the 'close civilizational ties' shared by India and Laos, deeply rooted in the common heritage of Buddhism and the Ramayana.

In a post on X, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said, 'Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Lao PDR H. E. Mr Thongsavan Phomvihane called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The President noted that our countries share close civilizational ties, reflected in our common heritage of Buddhism and the Ramayana. She said that the celebration of the 70th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations is a significant milestone in India-Lao PDR bilateral ties.'

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Reflecting on these historical connections, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasised that the bilateral alliance is 'firmly rooted in an enduring shared heritage.'

'Our two countries have close civilizational ties... our relations go back in history, based on deep cultural and people-to-people linkages,' Jaishankar remarked during the opening session of the JCM.

The 10th JCM serves as a focal point for the 70th-anniversary celebrations of diplomatic relations between the two countries. As both nations look to the future, the renewed emphasis on defence training and pharmaceuticals marks a strategic evolution in the relationship, shifting from historical cultural engagement toward a modern, multifaceted partnership aimed at regional stability and shared prosperity. (ANI)