Bali (Indonesia): Declaring India's support for "integration" of 10-member ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations), External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha on October 6 said New Delhi was looking forward to opportunities to enhance investments in South East Asia, while cooperating in guarding security of sea lanes in the region.

"It is not just two-way trade. India is looking for investment opportunities (in ASEAN) and exchanging technology," Sinha, who is accompanying Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee for the second Indo- ASEAN Summit said.

Lauding Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri for holding the ninth ASEAN Summit and the India- ASEAN Summit in Bali, which was hit by a terrorist strike in 2002 killing over 200 people, he said the decision to organise the meetings gave a clear message that countries fighting the war against the scourge would not be cowed down by terrorist threats.

Observing that India and the regional grouping have been cooperating in a lot of security issues, the Minister said India was extending help in guarding sea lanes. "We have an understanding of the security requirements (of the region) apart from the threat of terrorism," he told Doordarshan.

On the issue of integration of ASEAN, Sinha said four of the grouping's newly inducted members – Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia – were being assisted by New Delhi to "catch up" with the rest of six more developed countries.

ASEAN is currently chaired by Indonesia and includes the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia Brunei and Thailand besides the four lesser developed countries.

PTI