Ahead of G20 Summit, PM Modi visits Indonesia for ASEAN, East Asia summits | Check itinerary

7: 30 a.m. IST - ASEAN-India Summit ( 9 a.m. WIB)

8:45 a.m. IST - East Asia Summit (10:15 a.m. WIB)

11:30 a.m. IST - Modi departs from Jakarta ( 1 p.m. WIB)

6:25 p.m. IST - Modi arrives in Delhi

The Ministry of External Affairs made the announcement about Modi's travel to Indonesia through an official statement released on Saturday, September 3.

The visit, which comes at the invitation of Indonesian President Joko Widodo, underscores the growing importance of India's engagement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the wider East Asian region.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the highlight of Prime Minister Modi's trip will be the 20th ASEAN-India Summit and the 18th East Asia Summit, both of which are being hosted by Indonesia in its capacity as the current Chairmanship of the ASEAN.

The ASEAN-India Summit is particularly noteworthy as it marks the first such gathering since India and ASEAN elevated their bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership last year, reported PTI. This summit is expected to review the progress of India-ASEAN relations and chart the future direction of cooperation.

The East Asia Summit, on the other hand, presents an opportunity for leaders from ASEAN countries and its eight dialogue partners, including India, to exchange views on issues of regional and global significance.

This visit to Indonesia is expected to bring Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping together once again, following a brief hiatus after their meeting at the 15th BRICS Summit in South Africa. The two leaders are likely to meet on the sidelines of the summit in Indonesia, Outlook reported.

In a related development, the ASEAN-India Economic Ministers convened in Indonesia last month, for a timely review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA), which was originally signed in 2009. A joint committee has agreed to a quarterly schedule of negotiations, aiming to conclude the review of the ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement by 2025.

The ASEAN bloc consists of 10 member states, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia.

Prime Minister Modi's visit to Indonesia for the ASEAN-India Summit precedes the G20 Summit, scheduled to take place in India on September 9 and 10.