Q. What are the areas of cooperation between India and ASEAN? What obstacles and complexities affect their relationship, and what strategies can be employed to enhance and strengthen India-ASEAN relations in the future?
Introduction
• ASEAN – regional intergovernmental organization
• Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
• Aim – promoting cooperation on political, economic, social, and cultural aspects.
• India – ASEAN
o 1992 – Sectoral Dialogue Partner
o 1995 – Dialogue Partner
o 2002 – Summit level partner
Body of the answer
Areas of co-operation
o Regional connectivity
o • India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway
o • Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project. Economic ties
o • Trade with ASEAN
o 10.6% of India’s overall trade. ü
o 11.28% of total exports.
o Free trade agreement
Defence co-operation
• ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise.
• ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting.
• ASEAN – pivotal part of India’s SAGAR policy.
Cultural cooperation
• Students Exchange Programme.
• Exchange of Parliamentarians.
• ASEAN-India Network of Think Tanks.
Delhi Dialogue
• Annual forum for discussing politico-security, economic and socio-cultural issues.
Challenges
• Trade Imbalance
o Trade deficit in Free trade agreement.
• Nature of engagement
o Engaging in bilateral basis rather by multilateral basis.
• Competing regional agreements
o RCEP and CPTPP diverts attention and resources
• Influence of China
• Limited Connectivity
o Low physical and digital connectivity
Way Forward
• Becoming a significant military partner to ASEAN nations – to counter China.
• Encouraging tourism and cultural connectivity.
• Expanding QUAD to include ASEAN countries and make a QUAD+ arrangement.
• Engaging in multilateral forums like East Asia Summit (EAS) and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).
Conclusion
Significance of India – ASEAN ties
• Strengthening rule-based security in Indo Pacific.
o As most of India’s trade is dependent on maritime security.
• ASEAN countries – crucial role in Act East policy.
• Collaboration to counter insurgency in Northeast, building connectivity, combat terrorism, enhancing India’s geopolitical influence in Indo-Pacific.