Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that India and the Asean countries were natural partners.
"India and Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) are natural partners. Our ties date back to ancient times," Modi said in his address to the Asean Business and Investment Summit on the first day of his four-day visit to Malaysia and Singapore.
"I have been saying that the 21st century belongs to Asia. I say this because of the track record of Asean countries," he said amid loud applause.
Modi will attend the 13th Asean-India Summit later on Saturday and the 10th East Asia Summit on Sunday.