ASEAN Marks 59 Years with Spectacle at India’s Iconic Qutub Minar

New Delhi witnessed a unique diplomatic display on 8 August as the Qutub Minar was lit up with the colours of ASEAN’s flag to celebrate the organization’s 59th anniversary. The ceremony was hosted by the ASEAN regional group’s New Delhi committee.

Founded on 8 August 1967 by five countries, ASEAN now brings together eleven Southeast Asian nations: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor‑Leste and Vietnam.

Simon Wong, Singapore’s High Commissioner, arrived with the ASEAN‑NDCA family and used the occasion to illustrate how modern regional diplomacy functions. He shared photos on a popular platform, expressing joy at the first ASEAN‑flag illumination at the historic tower.

Philippine Ambassador Jose L. Ignacio praised India’s full backing of the project, describing it as evidence of a long‑standing friendship and a shared commitment to peace, prosperity and cultural exchange.

Since launching a sectoral dialogue in 1992, the ASEAN‑India relationship has progressed to a comprehensive strategic partnership covering trade, investment, tourism, agriculture, energy, culture, technology, education and people‑to‑people connections. The lighting of Qutub Minar represents the first ever ASEAN branding on a major national monument across the globe.