News Highlights
As a key stone in India – ASEAN relation , India – ASEAN meet was held and foreign ministers agreed to cooperate.
India – ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meet
- This was the first time India hosted a special meeting with foreign ministers of Asean.
- The meeting marks 30th anniversary of ties
- Focus Areas of Meet
- The meeting discussed ways to respond to the impact of the Ukraine crisis on the regional economy and security and agreed to enhance cooperation in key areas such as trade, connectivity, defence and cyber security.
- Countries not attend meeting
- Myanmar skipped the meeting of foreign ministers – an apparent response to India’s decision to follow the “Asean consensus”
- The foreign ministers of Laos and the Philippines too didn’t attend the meeting, apparently due to scheduling issues, and these countries were represented by senior officials.
Outcome of India – ASEAN Meet
- Political
- Upgrading the existing India-Asean strategic partnership to a comprehensive strategic partnership
- The two sides agreed to uphold Asean’s centrality in developing a regional architecture based on norms.
- Agreed to explore cooperation between the Asean Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and India’s Indo-Pacific Ocean’s Initiative (IPOI), mainly in maritime security and connectivity, disaster risk management, search and rescue operations, and environmental protection.
- Economic
- Early review of the Asean-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) to make the pact more user-friendly and simple.
- Agreed to boost the process of endorsing the scoping paper for reviewing the AITIGA so that the Asean-India Free Trade Area (AIFTA) joint committee “can be activated to oversee the implementation of the AITIGA review”.
- Connectivity
- The foreign ministers also agreed to explore synergies between the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) 2025 and India’s connectivity initiatives under its “Act East” policy.
- Major Focus
- Speedily complete and operationalize the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway, and to expand it eastwards to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam,
- More robust air and maritime connectivity.
- Defence
- The meeting also focused on Asean-India maritime exercise, the meeting discussed cooperation in countering terrorism and trans-national crimes
Significance of India – ASEAN Meet
- Asean’s role has become more important in view of geopolitical challenges and uncertainties.
- The strong convergence between the AOIP and IPOI is testimony to the shared vision of the two sides for the region
- A better connected India and Asean would be well positioned to promote decentralized globalization and resilient and reliable supply chains that is so needed by the international community.
Key Developments in India – ASEAN Relation
- 1967 – Formation of ASEAN
- 1991 – Disintegration of USSR and initiated Look East Policy
- 1992 – India became ASEAN’s sectoral dialogue partner
- 1995 – India became full dialogue partner of ASEAN
- 1996 – India became a member of ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)
- 2002 – India and ASEAN begin to hold annual summit
- 2005 – India joins East Asia Summit
- 2009 – India- ASEAN Free trade Agreement in Goods
- 2012 – India – ASEAN Strategic Partnership
- 2014 – India – ASEAN Free Trade Agreement in Services and Investment
- 2018 – India ASEAN celebrated 25 years of their relationship by holding a commemorative Summit.
Significance of ASEAN for India
- Potential market for Indian goods and service
- Act as a connector to pacific
- Check on China
- Support for India in global platforms like the UN.
Challenges in Relation
- China tilt for countries like Cambodia
- Western dominance in the region
- Trade imbalance
Way Forward
- India – ASEAN cooperation is vital for regional development and check on China’s growth .The relation can be boosted by using soft powers like Buddhism and common ideologies.
Pic Courtesy : Economic Times , Indian Express
Content Source : Indian Express