India and the 10-nation south east Asian trading bloc Asean are expected to widen their trade engagement by signing in October, a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that will cover services and investment.

President Barack Obama and his Southeast Asian counterparts are expected to drop calls for Myanmar's ruling generals to release pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners ahead of elections in 2010.

Dreams of creating a huge economic bloc covering half the world's population are slowly becoming a reality in a plan that would boost Asia's global clout, analysts and officials say.

Asian leaders heard competing plans from Australia and Japan for a massive EU-style economic and political bloc, as they wrapped up an annual summit in Thailand on Sunday.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Saturday assured Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that his country would correct the balance of trade that is currently in its favour.