In an obvious reference to Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said "export of terror" is a common threat to the region.
"Export of terror, growing radicalisation and spread of extreme violence are common security threats to our societies," Modi said while addressing the 14th India-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in Vientiane.
He said Asean was central to India's Act East Policy while describing the ties with southeast Asia as a "source of harmony".
The India-Asean Summit will be followed by the 11th East Asia Summit on Thursday.
Laos supports India's permanent seat in UNSC
"Laos PM said his country supported India as a permanent member of a reformed and expanded UN Security Council (UNSC)," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup informed the media after a bilateral meeting between PM Modi and Laos Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith on Thursday morning.
Stating that the two leaders discussed regional developments, Swarup said that "both countries shared the same perspective" on the South China Sea issue.
An international arbitration tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in July ruled in favour of the Philippines in its dispute with China over the South China Sea.
While the Philippines welcomed the ruling, China reacted angrily calling it "null and void". Several southeast Asian littoral nations have disputes with Beijing over the South China Sea.
India has called for all parties concerned to respect the UN Convention for the Law of the Sea (Unclos).
According to Swarup, during the meeting, Sisoulith appreciated India's consistent support for Laos since the country's independence "particularly in areas of human resources development, agriculture, irrigation and power".
Modi said he was especially happy to be in Vientiane at a time when India and Laos were celebrating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
"Both prime ministers agreed to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in a befitting manner," Swarup stated.
Modi is also scheduled to have meetings with South Korean President Park Geun-hye, Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who is the State Counsellor and Foreign Minister of Myanmar, and US President Barack Obama later in the day.
Soon after his arrival in Vientiane on Wednesday, Modi held a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
The India-Asean Summit on Thursday will be attended by leaders of 10 southeast Asian nations— Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand.
The East Asia Summit later in the day will be attended by leaders of the 10 Asean nations and those of India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, the US and Russia.
