The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is a geo-political and economic organisation of ten countries located in Southeast Asia, which was formed on 8 August 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Since then, membership has expanded to include Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Its aims include accelerating economic growth, social progress, and cultural development among its members, protection of regional peace and stability, and opportunities for member countries to discuss differences peacefully.

India’s focus on a strengthened and multi-faceted relationship with ASEAN is an outcome of the significant changes in the world’s political and economic scenario since the early 1990s and India’s own march towards economic liberalization.

India’s search for economic space has resulted in our ‘Look East’ policy. ASEAN’s economic, political and strategic importance in the larger Asia-Pacific Region and its potential to become a major partner of India in trade and investment is a significant factor in our policy paradigms. ASEAN’s steady expansion westward to include Myanmar has also brought it to our land boundaries. It now provides a land bridge for India to connect with the ASEAN countries. ASEAN, on its part, seeks access to India’s professional and technical strengths.

India became a sectoral partner of ASEAN in 1992, a dialogue partner in 1996, and a summit-level partner at Phnom Penh in 2002. In 2012, India-ASEAN relations evolved into a Strategic Partenrship while in 2022, the relations have elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partenrship. The year 2022 was designated as the ASEAN-India Friendship Year.

At the Bali Summit in 2003, India and the ASEAN signed the Instrument of Accession to the treaty of Amity and Cooperation in South East Asia, a framework agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and a joint declaration for cooperation to combat international terrorism.

• The Vientiane summit of 2004 was a milestone in India-ASEAN relations. The ASEAN-India Partnership for Peace, Progress and Shared Prosperity and the Plan of Action to implement it were finalised. The first plan of action was implemented from 2004-10. The second plan of action for 2010-15 has been adopted and being implemented.
• India and ASEAN have convergence in their security perspectives. India have vital stakes in peace and stability in the region, including the security of the sea-lanes of the Indian Ocean for smooth flow of raw materials, merchandise and energy supplies. Since 1996, India has been an active participant in the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).
• Since 2002, India has annual Summits with ASEAN – along with China, Japan and Republic of Korea.
• ASEAN now has a charter which came into force on 15th December, 2008. With the adoption of this charter, it is functioning as an organization within and its relationship with the outside world has acquired a new institutional form. In terms of this charter, India appoints Ambassador/PR to ASEAN.

In December 2012, New Delhi hosted the India-ASEAN Commemorative Summit to mark 20-years of its association with the grouping and 10-years of its summit level partnership. The India-ASEAN relationship was elevated to a strategic partnership at the 2012 meeting. The leaders also adopted a vision statement or a blueprint for the future India-ASEAN cooperation.

The ASEAN-India Centre was inaugurated in New Delhi on 21 June 2013. It will be a resource centre for the India-ASEAN strategic partnership. The External Affairs Ministry is also setting up a separate ASEAN-India Trade and Investment Centre.

Another area of focus is improving land, sea, and air connectivity. New Delhi has started the annual ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee with a meeting in June this year. The India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway is expected to be completed by 2016 and is expected to boost growth in India's northeast region.

The India-ASEAN Delhi Dialogue is an annual international conference of political and economic leaders, officials, academics, and opinion-makers of ASEAN countries with their Indian counterparts to discuss how to intensify and broaden political, strategic, economic, and civil society interaction between the two regions.

Trade and Investment 

The value of trade between India and ASEAN (in 2021) amounted to over USD 78 billion. Singapore is India's largest trading partner in ASEAN region. 

The Framework Agreement for Comprehensive Economic Cooperation, signed in 2005, is at the heart of our economic engagement with ASEAN. The key elements of the Framework Agreement on CECA cover FTA in Goods, Services, and Investment as well as Economic Cooperation in identified areas. The major component of FTA viz. the Trade-in-Goods (TiG) agreement was signed at the ASEAN-India Economic Ministerial Meeting held on the sidelines of the 41st AEM in Bangkok on August 13, 2009, after six years of intensive negotiations. The TiG agreement has come into force with Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Brunei. For other ASEAN countries, it would come into force when ratified by them. The next step in the Framework Agreement is the conclusion of negotiations on the Trade-in-Services and Investment Agreement. Now the ambit of FTA has widened to services also as there was a trade deficit with ASEAN.

Areas of Cooperation

Terrorism

ASEAN and India have signed a Joint Declaration on Cooperation to Combat International Terrorism in October 2003 in Bali, and in the same year, India acceded to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia. The main forum for ASEAN security dialogue is the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). India has been attending annual meetings of this forum since 1996 and has actively participated in its various activities.

ICT

In the area of Information and Communication Technology, several activities have been completed in the past few years. TCIL is conducting a feasibility study on the introduction of tele-education and telemedicine in ASEAN countries.

ASEAN Connectivity Initiative

An ASEAN Leaders’ Statement on ASEAN connectivity was issued on 24th October 2009 at the 15th ASEAN Summit in Hua Hin, Thailand to improve intra-ASEAN connectivity as well as connectivity with its dialogue partners. It called for developing an ASEAN Master Plan on regional connectivity through the formation of a High-level task force. It also called for completing an ASEAN ICT Master Plan in 2010 to improve connectivity.

Progress in the key area of connectivity has been achieved. Today, there are over 215 direct and indirect flights every week between India and Singapore, 115 flights with Thailand, and 50 with Malaysia. The work on the Trilateral Highway Project between India, Myanmar, and Thailand is also progressing. ASEAN and India have also proposed to build a new highway India-Myanmar-Laos-Cambodia-Vietnam at the India-ASEAN Ministerial meeting held in July 2010. Under the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation programme, an agreement has been reached to build the Delhi-Hanoi rail link. Under ICT connectivity Optical Fibres have been laid up to Mandalay in Myanmar.

Open Skies Agreement

In pursuance of the PM’s announcement at the 6th ASEAN Summit in Singapore on 21st November 07 on open skies agreement, ASEAN proposed ASEAN-India Aviation Cooperation Framework that would lead to an eventual Open Skies Agreement (OSA) between ASEAN and India. A draft Air Services Agreement (ASA) based upon the framework has been considered at these meetings. It has been agreed to continue the negotiations through the Joint Working Group which was expected to meet early next year.

Recent trends

• Signaling a sharper interest in ASEAN, India in April 2014, appointed its first dedicated ambassador to the region. Suresh Reddy will be in charge of India's relations with the East Asia Summit and the 10-nation grouping.
• ASEAN and India have entered into a regional economic comprehensive partnership resulting in trade worth $76 billion. India and ASEAN are also negotiating an agreement on trade in services, which has been approved by the Indian Cabinet in February 2014.
• The India-ASEAN relationship has acquired maturity. The interest of the ASEAN in India has remained unabated since the former’s welcome of our ‘Look East Policy’. There is a mutual recognition that strengthened India-ASEAN relations, which are rooted in deep historical and cultural ties, serve the interests of both India and ASEAN. The mutual desire to move ahead rapidly is also clear. The annual Summits are an unqualified success in building strong ties grounded in an impressive architecture of regional cooperation, for India’s benefit.

ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit-2018

• ASEAN-India commemorative summit took place to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the dialogue partnership. The theme of the summit was “Shared Values, Common Destiny”.
• The summit was followed by an unprecedented attendance of  10 ASEAN HEADS as the Chief Guests for the celebration of India’s 69th Annual Republic Day. This is for the first time that India has not 1 but 10 world leaders as Chief Guests for the Republic Day.

Importance

• The most significant outcome of the summit was the “Delhi Declaration’’,  which talks about various issues like maritime cooperation, stability, economic ties, joint fight against terror etc.
• The summit comes in the background of the expansionist tactics followed by China in the South China Sea and also marks a major shift from India’s earlier “LOOK EAST” POLICY to the enhanced “ACT EAST” POLICY,  which signifies India’s increased commitment to ASEAN members.
• ASEAN accepted India as a sectoral partner in 1992 and full-time dialogue partner in 1996. ASEAN has thus helped India expand in Asia, post-LPG reforms and motivating to formulate its “Look East” policy, which India has enhanced to as “Act East” policy to strengthen relations with the eastern neighboring countries.
• India and ASEAN signed a Free Trade Agreement in 2009 which came into effect in 2010. The FTA  has strengthened the economic ties between both sides. The trade between the two stood at $78Bn in 2021.

Analysis of the summit

• A major discussion took place on issues of Maritime cooperation and security-  where PM Modi reiterated the primacy of UNCLOS of 1982 and spoke in support of the Rule of Law in the region of the South China Sea. This comes in the background of the assertive behavior manifested by China in that region.  India already conducts maritime exercises and patrols with the members of ASEAN. The need for a Code of Conduct over the South China Sea was also expressed.
• For the first time, both the parties mentioned “cross-border movement of terrorists” and made a commitment to counter and combat them through “close cooperation”.
• Both sides agreed  “to intensify efforts in 2018 toward the swift conclusion of RCEP”. Singapore PM LEE HSIEN LOONG expressed his willingness and hoped that a conclusion could be reached by this year. 

The two sides reiterated the need to enhance connectivity, not just physical but digital and other forms as well. Singapore  PM (who is currently CHAIR OF ASEAN ) expressed his willingness in developing connectivity through ASEAN –INDIA Air TRANSPORT AGREEMENT along with connectivity in an E-payment system.

[note: -An India-Myanmar-Thailand highway from Moreh in North-eastern India to Mae Sot(Thailand) is already under construction. The project could further be extended to Cambodia, Laos or Vietnam.]

ASEAN-India Summit 2022

• It was the 19th Summit and was held at Phnom Penh in Cambodia.
• India was represented at the Summit by its Vice-President Sh. Jadgeep Dhankhar.
• Important outcomes of the Summit include:

1. ASEAN-India relationship elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). ASEAN entered into a comprehensive strategic partnership with China and Australia in 2021.
2. The CSP is guided by 24 points.
3. The joint statement issued reiterated the commitment to enhance mutual cooperation in areas such as maritime, counter-terrorism, transnational crimes, cyber security, digital economy, regional connectivity, smart agriculture, environment, science & technology, tourism, etc.
4. The joint statement also proposed the expedition of the review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement to make it more user-friendly, simple, and trade-facilitating.

India set up three funds

To support cooperation activities between ASEAN and India, the Government of India has set up three funds:

• ASEAN-India Cooperation Fund (AIF)
• ASEAN-India Green Fund (AIGF)
• ASEAN-India Science & Technology Development Fund (AISTDF)

ASEAN-India Business Council

• Set up in 2003
• To promote comprehensive economic cooperation between India and ASEAN
• Serves as a private sector mechanism to provide economic opportunities on both sides

ASEAN Region Forum (ARF)

• Established in 1994
• An important platform for security dialogue in the Indo-Pacific
• In this, members discuss security issues and develop cooperative measures to enhance peace and security in the region
• ARF comprises 27 members - 10 ASEAN members, 10 ASEAN Dialogue Partners (Australia, Canada, China, EU, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia, and the US), and 7 more countries (Bangladesh, North Korea, Mongolia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea, and Timor Leste)

ADMM Plus Meeting

• ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus
• An annual meeting of defence ministers of 10 ASEAN countries and ASEAN Dialogue Partners (except EU and Canada)
• It was first convened in Vietnam in 2010
• It is to build capacity to address shared security challenges and to address the issue of promotion of mutual trust and confidence between defence establishments through greater dialogue and transparency

ASEAN-India Cultural Cooperation

• Buddhism
• Revival of Nalanda University
• Chairs of Indian studies in universities in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia
• Indian cultural centres in Jakarta (Indonesia), Bali (Indonesia), Bangkok (Thailand), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Suva (Fiji), and Lautoka (Fiji)
• Joint restoration of monuments in Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos

Delhi Dialogue

• A mechanism hosted by India annually
• It is a foreign ministers' dialogue
• The dialogue forms the main mechanism for ASEAN-India engagement
• It allows the participation of think tanks, academics, and prominent civil society persons from both India and ASEAN

Way forward

Development of India-ASEAN ties cannot be seen in isolation from international developments and though both sides have expressed greater engagement in the past two decades and have come a long way since then, there are challenges that need to be overcome -

• The constant assertive behavior of China in strategic areas needs to be dealt with. India has shown its support for ASEAN. INDIA needs more formal channels to put a check on its tactics. The role of QUAD involving India, Japan, Australia, US could act as a check to China and also provide maritime security in INDO-PACIFIC regions.
• Despite the FTA between ASEAN-INDIA trade in goods was restricted to US $78 billion in 2021. In contrast, its trade with CHINA stood at USD 878.2 billion in 2021.
• Many of the connectivity projects such as the KALADAN, INDIA-MYANMAR-THAILAND trilateral highway have been constantly delayed for various reasons some of which remain outside of India’s jurisdiction. Expeditious improvement in these projects is required.
• There is great and substantial potential, particularly in the fields of economic, cultural, and religious spheres where both sides have familiarity and solidarity and hence should mobilize diplomatic and soft skill factors to enhance cooperation in these fields.

Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC)

MGC is an initiative by six countries – India and five ASEAN countries, namely, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam for cooperation in tourism, culture, education, as well as transport and communications.

It was launched in 2000 at Vientiane, Lao PDR.

At the 6th meeting, Ministers agreed to widen collaboration into newer areas, such as SME cooperation, conservation of Rice Germplasm, setting up a Working Group on Health, and establishment of a Common Archival Resource Centre (CARC) at the Nalanda University.

India was the host of the 8th MGC Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) in New Delhi on April 2017.