2018 R-Day celebrations: 10 Chief Guests to attend the parade
Next year's Republic Day parade is expected to have not one, but 10 chief guests, as it's expected to be attended by the leaders of the ASEAN countries. The prime ministers of Vietnam and Singapore have already confirmed their presence, the Times of India reported, citing government sources. India's invitation to the ASEAN countries represents its biggest Act East outreach till date.
Leaders to mark 25 years of India-ASEAN dialogue
Among the first to confirm their participation are Vietnam PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Singapore PM Lee Hsien. Other leaders are expected to confirm in the coming weeks. The ASEAN leaders will also join PM Narendra Modi to participate in the India-ASEAN friendship summit which would mark 25-years of being Dialogue Partners, 15-years of Summit Level talks and 5-years of Strategic Partnership.
Only 2 R-Days witnessed more than one chief guest
The upcoming Republic Day parade will likely be the first to be attended by so many heads of states and governments. In fact, only two parades in the past witnessed more than one guest. The 1968 parade was attended by Yugoslavia President Josip Broz Tito and Soviet Union Premier Alexei Kosygin while in 1974, Tito and Sri Lankan PM Sirima Bandarnaike were there.
Why India's engagement with ASEAN matters
Engagement with ASEAN countries, particularly Singapore and Vietnam, is a key pillar of India's Act East policy. ASEAN is India's fourth largest trading partner. However, growth in trade remains slow, rising to $70 billion in 2016-17 from $65 billion in 2015-16. India is also looking to boost defense ties with the countries in the face of China's growing military assertiveness in the region.
