The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, flagged off the first India-ASEAN Car Rally, 2004 at the Nehru Stadium, Guwahati today. Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said:

"It gives me great pleasure to be present at the commencement of the First India-ASEAN Car Rally today. In flagging off this event, we are doing more than setting in motion a rally car that will go through nine countries traversing over 8,000 kilometres through some of the most picturesque regions of the world. The importance of this Rally is much more than that.

Historically, we belong to an integrated region with many complementarities. Our cultural and civilisational ties run deep in time. These have been further strengthened by economic and trade links. Until colonialism intervened, this region was an integrated whole. With the passage of time, we are rediscovering the essential oneness and unity that bond our countries together.

Our countries are endowed with tremendous human talent and natural resources. The challenge before us is to put in place, cooperative regional activities that will promote development and collective security for all our people.

Geographical contiguity is not merely the absence of physical distance. It enables a participative exercise for building a community of prosperity based on goodwill and enterprise. In an era of globalisation, inter-connectivity, whether within a region or between regions, has to be comprehensive, covering all dimensions - human, infrastructural, economic, technological and cultural. By building such bridges of understanding and interaction will we increase and widen the circles of prosperity and growth.

Our North-Eastern States are India's gateway to ASEAN. This is true not just in terms of physical connectivity but also in terms of economic outreach and cultural affinities. The National Common Minimum Programme highlights the determination of our Government to give special assistance to upgrade and expand infrastructure in the North East. The North East Council will be strengthened and given adequate professional support. Being an MP from this region, I feel special affinity and responsibility to ensure the effective implementation of these commitments.

The development of the North-East and its integration with the larger regional processes is one of the prime determining factors of India's engagement with regional cooperation as under ASEAN or sub-regional cooperation as under BIMSTEC. My first official visit abroad as Prime Minister was to attend the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok. India's 'Look East' policy was initiated by the Congress Government in the early 1990s. We have made considerable progress with ASEAN since India was admitted as its Sectoral Dialogue Partner in 1992 and full Dialogue Partner in 1995. We have since held two Summit level meetings with ASEAN.

I look forward to representing India at the third India-ASEAN Summit next week, which will be held in Vientiane. I understand that this phase of the Car Rally will conclude in Vientiane, to coincide with the India-ASEAN Summit. I will have the pleasure of witnessing the flag-off of its last phase - upto Indonesia.

Our growing interaction with ASEAN is critical to fulfilling the promise of the 21st century being an Asian Century, with the main engines of the world economy emerging in the Asia-Pacific Region. We want our North Eastern States to be in the forefront of these interactions and to reap the benefits of enhanced peace and prosperity.

I am confident that this Car Rally will capture the imagination of our people, in demonstrating the essential oneness of our integrated region. I see this Car Rally as a journey into the future, demonstrating the possibilities that can come about in trade, tourism, and people-to-people contact by bringing our countries together.

I wish to express my appreciation for all those who have contributed to this Car Rally. We are pleased that the Secretary General of ASEAN is present here along with members of the diplomatic corps representing the ASEAN countries, the State Governments of Assam, Nagaland and Manipur, through which this Car Rally would pass, the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Federation of Motor Sports Club of India. I am confident that the success of this Rally will prompt a sense of adventure among our car enthusiasts and generate interest to make this a regular event.

I wish the participants of the First India-ASEAN Car Rally all success."