Indian PM Modi meets leaders of five countries in Manila ahead of India-Asean Summit

MANILA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday met leaders of five countries, including Japan and Australia, ahead of the India-Asean Summit and the East Asia Summit here.

Modi started the day with a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

"Delighted to have met you," Modi tweeted after meeting Turnbull. "Our talks today add new vigour to the friendship between India and Australia."

Turnbull, who visited India in April, said the "productive meeting" with Modi "focussed on increased economic cooperation, security and counter-terrorism".

According to External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, the two leaders discussed "close cooperation to optimise significant potential for further cooperation across a broad range of areas".

Modi then met Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

According to Kumar, the two leaders "shared common goal to deepen bilateral relations between the two countries".

India has offered several Lines of Credit to Vietnam over the years on concessional terms. The two countries cooperate closely in the defence sector. 

Modi then met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and said it was an "excellent meeting".

"We reviewed the ground covered on various aspects of India-Japan ties and discussed ways to deepen cooperation between our economies and people," he tweeted.

Abe visited India in September for the annual bilateral summit during the course of which the groundbreaking ceremony of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project was held.

Modi then met the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah.

"Both leaders had fruitful discussions on expanding bilateral partnership, specially in trade and investment, renewable energy, culture and people to people contacts," spokesperson Kumar said.

Modi also met newly elected New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

Kumar said it was "productive meeting" and both leaders "discussed steps to expand bilateral relations across sectors". 

On Monday, Modi held bilateral meetings with US President Donald Trump and Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte.

Modi will attend the 15th India-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the 12th East Asia Summit later on Tuesday.