India-ASEAN Partnership
A Game Changer in the Indo-Pacific
A Game Changer in the Indo-Pacific
Gundre Jayachandra Reddy
UDAY
PUBLISHING HOUSE
Visakhapatnam • Delhi
India-ASEAN Partnership
A Game Changer in the Indo-Pacific
© Editor
First Published: 2023
ISBN: 978-92-93402-14-1
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Relations between India and
ASEAN are always dynamic, since India has joined as Dialogue Partner in ASEAN.
India has made a kick start to maintain and strengthen relations with the
member countries of ASEAN with its LEP. The LEP has today matured into a
dynamic and action oriented 'Act East Policy. Furthermore, quick reorientation
in India and ASEAN relations have been noticed through the transformation of
Asia-Pacific into Indo-Pacific. Undoubtedly, India has been playing a greater
role in promoting ASEAN centric regionalism in the Indo-Pacific region.
In the Indo-Pacific concept,
the Indian Ocean matters today, arguably more than ever. India is
geographically located at the Ocean's centre, and has over 7,500 kilometres of
coastline. "India is at the crossroads of the Indian Ocean," Prime
Minister Narendra Modi declared in a speech in Mauritius in 2015. "The
Indian Ocean Region is at the top of our policy priorities". The Indian
Ocean is important for a couple of reasons such as it enjoys a privileged
location at the crossroads of global trade, connecting the major engines of the
international economy in the Northern Atlantic and Asia-Pacific.
Indian Ocean hosts one of the
most important global maritime routes connecting Far East with Europe. It
passes through the South China Sea, Strait of Malacca, Indian Ocean, Red Sea,
Suez Canal and Mediterranean until Atlantic. The Ocean's maritime routes are
pivotal for the worldwide supply of energy. It is estimated that almost 40 per
cent of energy supply is transported from the Persian Gulf to Europe and Asia
through its waterways. Singapore Port, the most important in the region and
second busiest port in the world based on container traffic and cargo tonnage,
is located in the Strait of Malacca. Linking Indian and
Pacific Oceans,
the Strait plays a pivotal role in the global commerce.
The Strait of Malacca, as its
strategic location makes it a vital waterway for hydrocarbon, container and
bulk cargo shipment. China is very much worried about this strait than any
other countries of the world. Of course, there are many other alternatives
which have been seriously in the minds of policy makers of China. There is lot
discourse on China in the Indian Ocean but crossing Strait of Malacca and entering
into the Indian Ocean might be herculean task for China while ignoring India
and the ASEAN countries. On the other side, India has been modernizing
facilities in the Andaman Islands and at a base in Campbell Bay in the Nicobar
Islands.
Southeast Asia forms a bridge
between two dynamic regions of Indian and Pacific Oceans and is a very
important conduit and portal to the same. Therefore, it is in the interest of
ASEAN to lead the shaping of their economic and security architecture and
ensure that such dynamics will continue to bring about peace, security,
stability and prosperity for the peoples in the Southeast Asia as well as in
the wider Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions or the Indo-Pacific. ASEAN
Leaders are reinforcing the ASEAN-centered regional architecture, namely, ASEAN
Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. This Outlook is not aimed at creating new
mechanisms or replacing existing ones; rather, it is an Outlook intended to
enhance ASEAN's Community building process and to strengthen and give new momentum
for existing ASEAN-led mechanisms to better face challenges and seize
opportunities arising from the current and future regional and global
environments. Moreover, the Outlook is intended to be inclusive in terms of
ideas and proposals.
The activities within the SCS
are not only about seaborne trade and navigation but also considerable
exploitation and exploration of natural resources, such as natural gas, oil and
fish stocks. In view of economic, strategic and sovereign importance the
littoral states of SCS have been confronting with China. With this backdrop,
both India and ASEAN are need to work closely than ever. Evidently, India's
IPOI and ASEAN Outlook of IndoPacific are in the similar lines of strategy in
protecting the freedom of navigation. In view of geographical advantages of
India in the Indian Ocean and ASEAN in the SCS, there is a dire need to
cooperate hand in hand to promote and achieve the set goals of India and ASEN
in the emerging concept of Indo-Pacific.
This book entitled
"India-ASEAN Partnership: A Game Changer in the Indo-Pacific" is a
compendium of articles presented by different scholars at the international
conference on "India-ASEAN towards Greater Partnership" organized by
the Centre for Southeast Asian and Pacific Studies, Sri Venkateswara
University, Tirupati in coordination with Indian Council of World Affairs, New
Delhi and Indian Council of Social Science Research, New Delhi. The conference
was conducted in commemoration of 25 years of India-ASEAN relations on 4-5 December
2017.
G. Jayachandra Reddy
G. Jayachandra Reddy, Former Professor and Director, Centre for
Southeast Asian and Pacific Studies, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati,
AP, India
Email: jayachandrareddy.g@gmail.com
Le Thi Hang Nga, Deputy Editor-in-chief (in charge), The Journal
for Indian and Asian Studies, Institute for Indian and Southwest Asian Studies,
Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS), Hanoi.
Amit Mishra, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Political
Science, Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarnath, India.
Le Tung Lam, Saigon University, Vietnam
Tran Hung Minh Phuong, Vietnam National University of Ho Chi Minh
City, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Email: tranhungminhphuong@gmail.com
Vaibhavi Palsule, Associate Professor and Head, Department of
Political Science Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College, L.N. Road, Matunga, Mumbai
400 019 vaibhavipalsule@ruiacollege.edu
Vikrant Pande, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science,
Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College, L.N. Road, Matunga, Mumbai 400 019 vikrantpande@ruiacollege.edu
Vo Xuan Vinh, Deputy Director General, Institute for Southeast
Asian Studies, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, No.1, Lieugiai Street,
Hanoi.
Email: voxvinh@gmail.com
M. Prayaga, Associate Professor, Centre for Southeast Asian &
Pacific Studies S.V. University, Tirupati-517 502
Huynh Thanh Loan, Independent Researcher, Hanoi,
Vietnam
Madhura B. Bane, Pursuing PhD from Department of Civics and
Politics, University of Mumbai, Mumbai. Former Assistant Professor (Political
Science) in Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College, Matunga, Mumbai, Email: madhurabane765@gmail.com
Pham Thuy Nguyen, Researcher, Vietnam Institute for Indian and
Southwest Asian Studies, Email: nguyenpham198@gmail.com
Vo Xuan Vinh, Deputy Director General of Institute for Southeast
Asian Studies, Viet Nam Academy of Social Sciences, Hanoi, Viet Nam, Email: voxvinh@gmail.com
Phung Gia Bach, PhD Candidate of Faculty of History, Hanoi National
University of Education, Hanoi, Vietnam, Email: giabach1610@gmail.com
M Padmaja, Assistant Professor, Center for Southeast Asian &
Pacific Studies Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati-517502
Preface v
List of Contributors ix
1. Why
India and ASEAN are Crucial to the Indo-Pacific? 1 G. Jayachandra Reddy
2.
The Evolution of India’s Vision in the Indo-Pacific
Region 24 Le Thi Hang Nga
3.
Significance of India-ASEAN Relations in the 40
Indo-Pacific
Scenario: Repercussions in the Quad lens
Amit Mishra
4. India's
Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI): A Pivot of India Asean Strategic
Partnership
Le Tung Lam and Tran Hung Minh Phuong 51
5.
India's New Strategy in Indo-Pacific: Balancing and
Band wagoning
Vaibhavi Palsule and
Vikrant Pande 69
6.
ASEAN Centrality and the Role of India
Vo Xuan Vinh 88
7.
India and the ASEAN Centrality in the Indo-Pacific
Emerging Security Architecture
M. Prayaga 106
8.
Emerging Geopolitical Dynamics in the Indo-Pacific:
Implications for Vietnam and India
Huynh Thanh Loan 124
9.
India’s Policy on Indo-Pacific Region and the Role
of Island Countries
Madhura B. Bane 152
10.
Perspectives from Vietnam on regional cooperation and
in The South China sea as the ASEAN Chair
Pham Thuy Nguyen 168
11.
India-Indonesia Maritime Cooperation in the
Indo-Pacific
Region: Prospects and Challenges
Vo Xuan Vinh and
Phung Gia Bach 181
12.
The Impact of Indian Diaspora in the Indo-Pacific
Region:
India's Interest
M Padmaja 200
Abstract
Today,
Indo-Pacific nations face unprecedented challenges to their sovereignty,
prosperity, and peace. India's “Look East Policy” and “Act East” is an impetus
to cultivate extensive strategic partnership with ASEAN nations. India has been
championing the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) idea, initiating forums like
the “Security and Growth for All in the Region -SAGAR” and the
"Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative -IPOI”. India strongly believes that the
economic prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region lies in multifaceted cooperation
between the nations of the region. IPOI proposed at the 14th East Asia Summit
in Bangkok in November 2019 is considered as a landmark intervention by India
and a potential game-changer in propelling robust engagement between India and
ASEAN partners based on convergence of strategic interests in politico-economic
and sociocultural frontiers while ensuring safety, maritime security and
stability in the crucial Indo-Pacific region. Vietnam is an important partner
in India's "IndoPacific Ocean's Initiative” which is based on shared
values and interests in promoting peace, stability and prosperity in this
region.
ASEAN-India
dialogue relations have grown rapidly from a sectoral dialogue partnership in
1992 to a full dialogue partnership in December 1995. At the ASEAN-India
Commemorative Summit held on 20 December 2012 in New Delhi, the Leaders adopted
the ASEAN-India Vision Statement and declared that the ASEAN-India Partnership
stands elevated to a Strategic Partnership. At the 22nd
ASEAN-India Senior Officials' Meeting (AISOM) held Jakarta on 16 July 2020,
officials from both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen
ASEAN-India's strategic partnership. With the changing political structure in
the Indo-Pacific region, this is an opportunity for countries in the region to
strengthen their strategic links with each other at the present time. With the
IPOI, India and ASEAN have come a long way together, fostering a relationship
based on trust and mutual understanding. In September 2020, India and ASEAN on
carried out a comprehensive review of their strategic partnership in a range of
areas, including maritime cooperation, and adopted a new five-year plan of
action to further boost overall ties. Both India and ASEAN are endeavoring to
refurbish their relations according to the requirements of strategic partner
relationshipship. This article seeks to clarify IPOI with India-ASEAN strategic
partnership in the Indo-Pacific region, where India and ASEAN can work together
for the integration of the region in the context of the Coronavirus Disease
(COVID-19).
Keywords: India, ASEAN, India-ASEAN relationship,
India-ASEAN strategic partnership, IPOI, COVID-19.
India's relationship with ASEAN
has emerged as a key cornerstone of India's foreign policy. Strategic
partnership between India and ASEAN is based on our shared historical,
geographical and cultural heritage, (www.timesnownews.com).
Both sides alway highlighted the significance of ASEAN-India strategic
partnership to peace, stability, development and prosperity in the
Indo-Pacific. The relationship between India and ASEAN has existed for a long
time, but the relationship has become increasingly clear since India
implemented its foreign policy as “Look East” and “Act East”. In India's
foreign policy, there have been assessments of the importance, indispensable
and important role of ASEAN in the strategy, thereby promoting the relationship
between India and ASEAN in the political fields- diplomacy, economy, culture -
society, security - defense in the Indo-Pacific region.
According to the assessment,
the Indo-Pacific region carries important values in all aspects, especially the
Indian Ocean region has four points out of six points that are always congested
with maritime routes and act as a The ocean superhighway moves energy sources
to fuel the growth of the world’s largest economies. Nearly 68% of India's oil
production, 80% of China’s oil production and 25% of the United States’s oil
production is shipped from the Indian Ocean region to other parts of the world.
Despite its significance, the eastern border of the Indian Ocean with the
Pacific Ocean becomes increasingly irrelevant as the shifting global trade
balance occurs and the Indo-Pacific becomes significant important geostrategic
(Mohan Malik, 2011, pp.326330). In addition, the Pacific region is an area
where projections of US maritime power have taken place over the past several
decades. Unlike the Indian Ocean, the Western Pacific region has a hotspot that
is Taiwan and the territorial disputes in the South China Sea between countries
in the region cause the most instability in the world today (Mohan Malik, 2011,
pp.326-330).
India-ASEAN relations in "Look East Policy" and
"Indo-Pacific strategy"
Indian foreign policy has
undergone significant change and development over the past fifty years. In the
early 1990s, India took a new approach to foreign affairs with the introduction
of the “Look East Policy". In India’s “Look East Policy", India has
tried to take steps to improve relations with Asia-Pacific countries in general
and ASEAN countries in particular. The real turning point in India-ASEAN
relations with economic liberalization in 1991 was the end of the Cold War and
India’s “Look East Policy" led by Prime Minister P.V. Narsimha Rao offers:
“A beneficial partnership. A new world order, economic reforms in India along
with the “Look East" policy, coincide with ASEAN’s “Look West" and
regional positioning trends" (Sanjaya Baru, 2011, p.13).
India is currently an active
member of the G20, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Brazil, the
Russian Federation, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) and the G77. India’s
partnership with the Russian Federation and the United States spans the fields
of politics, defense, economy, science and technology, nuclear, energy security
and strategic engagement (Chandra Rekha, 2018, p.114). There are also comments
that India’s foreign policy is going beyond borders, especially in the
Northeast and Northwest land borders with China and Pakistan (Behuria, Ashok,
2012, pp.235, 238-241). This is evidenced by India's changing and evolving
international relations with Southeast Asia and its diplomatic approach to its
traditional enemies Pakistan and China, and that new friend the US.
India's “Look East Policy"
has quickly become a multifaceted and multi-pronged approach with the aim of
establishing strategic links with as many countries as possible, developing
closer political links with ASEAN and strong economic development to countries
in the region. It is also an important effort to build a position for India in
the Indo-Pacific region. The emphasis of India's Look East policy instead was
on catching up with Southeast Asia's economic miracle (C. Raja Mohan, 2013,
p.14). At the same time, the “Look East Policy" also demonstrates India's
economic potential with large investments and trade. So far, the “Look East
Policy" has gone through three different phases: Phase one was marked by
the participation of India- related activities by countries in the region such
as the Singapore Prime Minister's event. In August 1993, Goh Chok Tong
specifically created a mild Indian fever (“mild Indian fever") in
Singapore; In the second phase, in the mid-1990s, the relationship between
ASEAN and India was reduced due to the financial crisis of 1997-1998, which
significantly affected the economies of countries in the region; The third and
more recent phase is a revival of interests between India and ASEAN.
Highlighting the similarity between India's “Indo-Pacific Oceans
Initiative" & ASEAN's “Outlook on Indo Pacific", Prime Minister
Narendra Modi said that “ASEAN has always been the core of India's Act East
Policy" (timesnownews.com, 2020).
In both phases of the “Look
East" policy, India viewed Southeast Asia as the focus of this policy.
Therefore, India promotes a strong and comprehensive relationship with ASEAN in
order to take advantage of Southeast Asia's huge potential market, important
geo-political position, and take advantage of the influence of its culture. Indian
culture as well as Indian resources in Southeast Asia.
Commenting
on these decisions of the ASEAN, Mr. Gujral remarked at the Jakarta PMC:
“The ASEAN decision to make India a Full Dialogue Partner is based on
your farsighted assessment about the political and strategic convergence,
acceleration of economic relations and their future potential, and
complementarities in areas that were hitherto not evident or remained
unexploited. A key objective of India and ASEAN to move from derivative to
direct relationship so that there are no distortions, no misperceptions, no
ignorance and no intermediation.” (Ministry of External Affairs, 1997, p.15).
In 1998,
India’s development of nuclear power marked a major shift in Indian thinking
and foreign policy. India will not thrive in a utopia based on non-alignment,
peace, regionalism and internal security at its borders. Since developing its
nuclear capabilities, India has begun to control the national agenda and
incorporate elements of national power. India has developed ties with the
United States, conducted diplomacy with Pakistan, and responded to the rise of
China and Pakistan by building up nuclear energy through economic and military
development. In relation to the United States, just 20 years ago, the annual bilateral
trade in goods and services between the United States and India totaled US$16.3
billion. Today, that number has grown nearly eightfold, to $126 billion. Now,
India and the United States have found a constructive solution to the problems
of their trade relationship, built a strong trade agenda that reflects their
strategic interests, and turned around. back to achieve the goal of 500 billion
US dollars in bilateral trade (bea.gov, 2019). Now, India and the United States
have found a constructive solution to the problems of their trade relationship,
built a strong trade agenda that reflects their strategic interests, and turned
around. back to achieve the goal of 500 billion US dollars in bilateral trade.
In 2012, India and ASEAN
celebrated the 20th Year of ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations. The ASEAN-India
Commemorative Summit was held in New Delhi on 20 December 2012 with the theme,
“ASEAN-India Partnership for Peace and Shared Prosperity". In the last
decade or so, India’s position in the great power equation in the region has
drawn a lot of ASEAN nations's interest. India has featured more prominently in
regional discourses, particularly within the context of the evolving regional
security architecture of this region (Mely Caballero-Anthony, 2013, p.33).
In September 2015, the Foreign
Ministers of the United States, India and Japan specifically emphasized “The
Importance of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific Region" (US Department of
State, 2017a). In October 2015, United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson
outlined the concept of a free and open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), placing the
US-India relationship in that context and highlighting the important role of
India. Tillerson and the US State Department, proposed to supplement the
trilateral cooperation between the US, India, Japan and Australia. In November
2015, quadrilateral consultations began. Since then, US actions, including the
National Security Strategy (NSS), National Defense Strategy (NDS) and the
renaming of US Pacific Command to Indo-Pacific Command, FOIP has emerged as a
powerful concept in the region (US Department of State, 2017b). The United
States's FOIP is built on three pillars: security, economy, and governance. The
US version of FOIP combines some elements of the “rebalancing to Asia"
strategy of the US President Barak Obama's administration on the basis of the
adjustment of US trade policy, as demonstrated by the US withdrawal from
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
In recent decades, the
Indo-Pacific has undergone a remarkable transformation. As hundreds of millions
of people climbed out of poverty, the region has become home to worldclass
companies and an important engine of global economic growth. This
transformation was possible because a free and open regional order ensured
stability and a level playing field on which countries could grow and prosper
as sovereign, independent states. President Donad Trump said:
“This entire region has emerged — and it is still emerging — as a
beautiful constellation of nations, each its own bright star, satellites to
none — and each one, a people, a culture, a way of life, and a home” (US
Department of State, 2019, p.5).
India is one
of the most important backers of the Indo-Pacific strategy. In 2015, in the
report “Ensuring Maritime Security: India’s Maritime Security Strategy",
India clearly stated that the regional and global strategic environmental
vision has shifted from the Euro-Atlantic to Indo- Pacific Ocean. Thereafter,
India's strategic vision gradually shifted to the Indo-Pacific region, aligned with
India's “Act East" policy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech at the
Shangri-La Dialogue (June 2016) outlined India's vision for the Indo-Pacific
region, emphasizing India's participation in the Indo-Pacific region, India see
ASEAN as its center in the region, such as the East Asia Summit (EAS), the
ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM+) (tapchicongsan.org.vn, 2020).
The FOIP
revisits the role for India in the Obama administration's rebalancing strategy.
It depicts the Asian giant India as one of the key democratic “Four
Anchors" anchored in the region. Thus, the FOIP strengthened the strategic
basis for the US-India relationship. The FOIP is very much in line with the
policy of the Modi administration, which aspires to be a leading power with its
“Look East Policy" and the principles that India has adopted in the
Indo-Pacific. This principle includes the importance of a rule-based order;
vision of a free, open and inclusive region where international law is
respected; freedom of navigation and overflight; good governance; Sustainable
Development; and protect sovereignty and territorial integrity. “Look East
Policy", also highlights many partnerships similar to FOIP, including in
South and Southeast Asia.
In June
2017, the joint statement between the US and India after Prime Minister
Narendra Modi met US President Donald Trump in Washington led to the importance
of the close partnership between the two leaders in the Indo -Pacific Ocean
region (whitehouse.gov, 2017). The theme of the 2015 Joint Strategic Vision
between India and the US, laid out a set of common principles for the region.
Subsequently, the trilateral strategic dialogue in August recognized the
importance of Australia, Japan and the United States in ensuring an Pacific and
Indian Ocean region “freedom, openness, peace, stability, democracy and
prosperity, based on the rule of law” (US Department of State, 2017c).
In 2021, in his first
communications with the leaders of Japan, Australia, South Korea and India,
United States President Joe Biden used the phrase “safety and prosperity”
instead of “freedom and open” that the Trump administration has long used to
describe the “Indo-Pacific”. Mr. Biden does not want to use the concept of
Indo-Pacific, just like the Trump administration does not use the concepts of
“pivot to Asia” or “rebalance to Asia”, although these strategies are not
differen . This makes regional leaders seem a little concerned about wanting to
better understand the “new” approach of the current US administration (vov.vn,
2021).
India’s “Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative” with India-Asean strategic
partnership
On 4 November 2019, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi launched the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) at
the East Asia Summit. IPOI seeks to ensure security and stability of the
regional maritime domain. IPOI is an open, non-treaty based initiative for
countries to work together for cooperative and collaborative solutions to
common challenges in the region. IPOI draws on existing regional architecture
and mechanisms to focus on seven pillars: Maritime Security; Maritime Ecology;
Maritime Resources; Capacity Building and Resource Sharing; Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management; Science, Technology and Academic Cooperation; Trade
Connectivity and Maritime Transport.
The IPOI is
an open global initiative that draws on existing regional cooperation
architecture and mechanisms. India has reached out to several countries to
fast-track the IPOI; the MEA has forwarded a comprehensive note to Australia,
Indonesia and Vietnam for their comments (Surya Gangadharan, 2019).
The idea is
that one or two countries could take the lead for a pillar, and other
interested countries could join. This would make it a cooperative venture and
accord it transparency and inclusivity. India, for its part, is prepared to
take the lead in maritime security and disaster risk management. India’s
initiative also plans to build on the 2017 ASEAN Regional Forum statement
against “Illegal, Unreported and Unlicensed Fishing”. India is prepared to host
an event on this larger security issue since it concerns livelihood security
and food security (Ministry of External Affairs Media Center).
Both India
and ASEAN partners completely acknowledging the ardent necessity to expand
connectivity, strategic, economic and pluralistic cooperation, and sustainable
infrastructure development in the Indo-Pacific region, the roadmap envisaged by
IPOI is all set to provide the much needed power balance and geostrategic
equilibrium in the greater Indian Ocean region. in September 2020, the adopted
Plan of Action (2021-2025) during the India-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting was all
set to add further momentum to the roadmap articulated by IPOI (Debasis
Bhattacharya, 2020).
As for the
strategic partnership between India and ASEAN, it is a two-way relationship:
Firstly, establish institutional links and target certain
countries to elevate bilateral relations to a higher level. India and ASEAN
first became partners when India became a Dialogue Partner at the 1992 ASEAN
meeting. This strategic partnership has continued to grow and as a result,
India was invited to become a dialogue partner. Dialogue Partner at the Fifth
ASEAN Summit held in Bangkok in 1995 and later a member of the ASEAN Regional
Forum (ARF) in 1996; Since then, cooperation between India and ASEAN has made
breakthroughs in both political and diplomatic aspects (Que, N.T., Tien Đ. Đ.,
p.196).
Secondly, at the economic level between India-ASEAN trade and
investment is driven by a comprehensive partnership and ongoing dialogue. India’s
Look East diplomacy has achieved good results. India has been a summit partner
of ASEAN since 2002. India has also joined the ASEAN Treaty on Cooperation and
Cooperation (TAC) to underline its commitment to ASEAN principles for the
inter-country relationship. At the same time, a turning point in India's
bilateral relations with Singapore, Southeast Asian countries, Thailand,
Myanmar and Indonesia was established. The ASEAN India Cooperation Committee
and the ASEAN Working Group on Trade and Investment were established in
conjunction with the establishment of the ASEAN-India Fund to promote trade,
tourism, science and technology and other activities. other economic
activities. In addition to the establishment of the ASEAN-India Business
Council (AIBC), during the first meeting between the Economic Ministers of
India and ASEAN in Brunei in September 2002, the Minister of Trade and Industry
of India India has offered to enter into a formal agreement with ASEAN on
regional trade and investment agreement (RTIA) or a free trade area (FTA), from
which the agreement was implemented in 2016.
One of the
highlights of the India-ASEAN partnership in the field of defense and security
that has made an important impression is the convergence of national interests,
the origin of a New strategic interaction between India and a number of ASEAN
countries. In addition, periodic naval exercises combine the navies of regional
countries, and India has entered into bilateral defense cooperation agreements
with Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Laos and Indonesia.
In addition,
the relationship between India and ASEAN is also recognized in two aspects:
trade and investment and strategic foreign policy. Both aspects of this
relationship are equally valid for all ASEAN countries. Clearly, India’s
economic relationship with ASEAN is different from that of other partners.
Similarly, India's political relationship with ASEAN is different from India's
bilateral relationship with Northeast Asia. Strong economic ties between India
and countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand - are important trade
and investment partners for India. Singapore is at the heart of the India-ASEAN
relationship and played a key role in ASEAN's decision to designate India as a
“Comprehensive Dialogue Partner”. Singapore has major investment plans for
India's Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. There are now direct flights from Singapore
to Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad, in addition to Delhi, Bombay and Victatta.
Malaysia is expected to invest in road and port development in Andhra Pradesh
and Orissa. Thailand's relations with India have been further strengthened with
the establishment of a regional economic group, such as the
Bangladesh-India-Myanmar-Sri Lanka-Thailand Economic Cooperation group, the
Bangladesh-India-Myanmar- Sri Lanka- Thailand Economic Cooperation group
-BIMSTEC (Sanjaya Baru, 2001, p.14).
India's economic relations with
the countries of ASEAN have witnessed dramatic growth in recent years. India
and the ASEAN have signed two trade agreements in goods and services, creating
one of the biggest trade areas with a market of 1.8 billion people and a
combined GDP of about US$3 trillion. India-ASEAN annual trade today accounts
for more than US$80 billion for the first time in history, although the figure
is still far below the target of US$200 billion set for 2020 (Kesavan, 2020).
India-ASEAN defense cooperation
is divided into two forms: Firstly, India's bilateral cooperation with each
ASEAN country; Secondly, India-ASEAN multilateral cooperation. In the early
years of the 21st century, India began to demonstrate its military strength and
implement its strategy by offering to assist ASEAN in patrolling the Malacca
Straits. Both New Delhi and Hanoi enhanced strategic cooperation in conformity
to IPOI and ASEAN's outlook on Indo-Pacific to achieve shared security,
prosperity and inclusive growth for all in the region. All these developments
factor in towards manifestation of the overarching objectives of IPOI and
providing a level playing ground to effectively contain Chinese maritime and
territorial contestation (Debasis Bhattacharya, 2020).
India fully supports the ASEAN
countries and looks forward to further strengthening cooperation in building a
peaceful and stable region. Vietnam, an ASEAN country, has consistently
supported and helped strengthen institutional cooperation between India and
ASEAN. Vietnam is the ASEAN Coordinator for India for the period 2015-2018, in
which both countries need to cooperate closely and promptly implement various
initiatives and projects to further strengthen the relationship between the two
countries. ASEAN-India strategic cooperation. In August 2015, the ASEAN-India
action plan (2016-2020) adopted, specific initiatives and areas of cooperation
have been identified along three pillars of politics - security, economic and
social culture of ASEAN. In addition, India and ASEAN encourage more
constructive dialogue and cooperation through mechanisms to promote peace and
security in the region; cooperation against terrorism and non-traditional
threats, maritime cooperation, tourism, promotion of private sector
participation and encouragement of business, investment and financial
relations, inclusive energy new and renewable energy policy and rural
electrification, food, agriculture and forestry, information technology, mining
and natural resource management, health, education, culture and exchange
person-to-person exchange, and related facilitation such as granting entry
visas to countries... There were 54 projects have been implemented (in 130
projects). Projects connecting physical and digital information. highways,
science and technology cooperation and human resource building projects, which
India announced to ASEAN countries have been resolved, all aimed at bringing
integration and prosperity in this region (Piyush Srivastava. 2017, p.6).
Looking ahead towards 2040, the
clue for realising the full promise of india and ASEAN relations lie in
partnerships based on complementarity and value addition. if indeed india and
ASEAN are to realise their individual, regional, and global potentials by 2040,
then trade and economic cooperation between the two must be a core
consideration (Prakash, 2019, p.127).
Since 2002, Indian’s navy ships
have regularly visited Southeast Asia: Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia,
Singapore, Vietnam, and Thailand. The India-ASEAN relations in the East Sea
area are clearly demonstrated through the following activities: Firstly, both
sides have increased their dialogue and exchange activities on the importance
and security of the region. Secondly, India and ASEAN have conducted oil and
gas exploration activities in the South China Sea area. Thirdly, ASEAN and
India regularly conduct naval activities (joint exercises, military
training...) in the region.
In June 2018, at Shangri-La
(Singapore), Prime Minister Modi continued to implicitly state some of the
challenges facing India and the Indo-Pacific region as well as Southeast Asia.
And although he shaped his speech in terms of the Indo-Pacific, whose message
was aimed at much of Southeast Asia, Mr. Modi used the speech to deliver
convincing argument that India is willing and able to defend the “rules-based
order". Those rules and standards all have a purpose, he stressed. Above
all, India upholds the sovereignty and autonomy of all countries in the region,
especially small and medium-sized countries including Southeast Asia (Ian Hall,
2018).
In April 2020, the Indian and
Vietnamese navies held a four- day maritime exercise off Vietnam's Cam Ranh Bay
with the aim of promoting cooperation in maritime operations. In December 2020,
a warship of the Indian navy conducted an “exercise" with the Vietnamese
navy in the South China Sea (economictimes.indiatimes.com, 2020).
In 2020, despite the impact of
the Covid-19 pandemic, the bilateral defense cooperation relationship between
Vietnam and India continues to be developed. “Both the sides reviewed the
progress on various bilateral defence cooperation initiatives and expressed
commitment to further elevate engagements between the armed forces under the
framework of the comprehensive strategic partnership” (e.vnexpress.net, 2020)
Thereby, both India and Vietnam also maintain close communication on the
control of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Military Medical Services of both
countries held online meetings to exchange valuable experiences and discuss
response measures including diagnosis, prevention and treatment measures. India
has also organized an online Covid-19 prevention course for military leaders of
Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos. In December 2020, the Indian Navy’s
corvette INS Kiltan visited Ho Chi Minh City for a three-day visit, aimed at
enhancing bilateral maritime cooperation between the two countries and
providing assistance. humanitarian aid, including relief goods for people
affected by floods in central Vietnam.
The Plan of Action (2021-2025)
allows for India and ASEAN to explore commonalities, identify priorities of
mutual concern and develop appropriate mechanism towards ensuring long lasting
peace, security and shared prosperity in the critical IndoPacific region
(Debasis Bhattacharya, 2020).
From the next 15 years to 20
years in the 21st century, the Indo-Pacific region will be the place where a
number of countries around the world forge new alliances, race arms, pursue
mercantilist policies, exploiting resources, and participating in preventing
peer competitors. New strategic balances will emerge as cooperation and
alliances among nations change. Faced with an aggressive rising China, the
region's major maritime powers, such as Japan, Australia, and India, have and
need to conduct operations in a more synchronized, more active manner alongside
the United States. . Great powers need support from countries in the region
such as Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia; these states
tend to cooperate to preserve a rules-based regional order that is not in the
favor of the great powers. As a result, a complex web of diverse and complex
security relationships is beginning to emerge among countries in Southeast Asia
that has alarmed some others. The future of regional security cooperation is
likely to be in tripartite or trigonal, quadrilateral and multilateral formats
as Prime Minister Modi said that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN):
“We will work with them, individually or in formats of three or more,
for a stable and peaceful region” ( Gopalakrishnan, 2018).
With the
changing political structure in the Indo-Pacific region, this is an opportunity
for countries in the region to strengthen their strategic links with each other
in the modern world. With the IPOI, India and the ASEAN nations have come a
long way together, fostering a relationship based on trust and mutual
understanding. In addition, from a broader regional perspective, ASEAN is known
as an important demonstration of solidarity for India in its long history in
terms of geographical alignment, cultural ties and airspace. strategic space
that both sides need to share. India sees ASEAN as the center of its “Act East”
policy and Vietnam as ASEAN coordinator for India, and Vietnam has a catalytic
role in strengthening ties with India- ASEAN and India with all countries in
this region (Rajaram Panda, 2017). Currently, with the rapid changes in the
IndoPacific region and increasing challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic
that Vietnam, ASEAN countries and India are facing and fighting the pandemic.
India continues to play an important role in strengthening the regional
strategy by supporting ASEAN in the strategic and defense fields, contributing
to building and protecting a stable and peaceful Southeast Asia region in the
current period.
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