{"id":16715,"date":"2023-09-08T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-09-08T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/uncategorized\/08-09-2023\/asean-as-the-central-pillar-of-indias-act-east-policy\/"},"modified":"2023-09-08T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-09-08T00:00:00","slug":"asean-as-the-central-pillar-of-indias-act-east-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/08-09-2023\/asean-as-the-central-pillar-of-indias-act-east-policy","title":{"rendered":"ASEAN as the \u2018central pillar\u2019 of India\u2019s Act East Policy"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n<\/p>\n

In Context<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Speaking at the 20th ASEAN-India summit in Jakarta, the Indian Prime Minister said that ASEAN is the \u201ccentral pillar\u201d of India\u2019s Act East Policy and India fully supports the group\u2019s centrality and outlook on the Indo-Pacific.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
About ASEAN<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Formation & members:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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On<\/span><\/span><\/span> 8 August 1967<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>, five leaders \u2013 the Foreign Ministers of <\/span><\/span><\/span>Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u2013 came together in Bangkok to form ASEAN.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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\u00a0The document that they signed is known as the <\/span><\/span><\/span>ASEAN Declaration<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Over the next few decades, five other countries joined them \u2013<\/span><\/span><\/span> Brunei Darussalam, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
ASEAN Declaration:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The ASEAN Declaration conveyed the aspiration to<\/span><\/span><\/span> further regional cooperation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
These were about <\/span><\/span><\/span>cooperation <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>in the economic, social, cultural, technical, educational and other fields, and in the<\/span><\/span><\/span> promotion of regional peace<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> and <\/span><\/span><\/span>stability <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
It stipulated that the Association would be<\/span><\/span><\/span> open for participation by all States in the Southeast Asian <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>region subscribing to its aims, principles and purposes.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Unity & its symbols:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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ASEAN today has an<\/span><\/span><\/span> anthem, a flag and biannual summits<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> (twice a year) with a <\/span><\/span><\/span>rotating chairmanship<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
An example of the focus on unity, its official motto is <\/span><\/span><\/span>\u201cOne Vision, One Identity, One Community\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Its major pillars that help lay out a blueprint for cooperation are:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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Political-Security Community (APSC),\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Economic Community (AEC) and\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
India & ASEAN\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Relations:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The year 2022 also marked the<\/span><\/span><\/span> 30th Anniversary <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>of <\/span><\/span><\/span>ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> & the<\/span><\/span><\/span> 10th anniversary <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>of <\/span><\/span><\/span>India\u2019s Strategic Partnership with ASEAN<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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So, the year was designated as the <\/span><\/span><\/span>ASEAN-India Friendship Year<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
India and ASEAN started to hold summits together in 2002 \u2014 a decade after the country established formal engagement with the group.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Trade:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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In 2010, a<\/span><\/span><\/span> Free Trade Agreement<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> was signed and entered into force between India and ASEAN.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
While India was part of negotiations to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (<\/span><\/span><\/span>RCEP)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> in 2020, it ultimately<\/span><\/span><\/span> decided not to do so<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
However, in the past eight years, trade has grown in terms of value, barring the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
ASEAN Plus Six grouping:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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India is part of the ASEAN Plus Six grouping, which includes <\/span><\/span><\/span>China, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Delhi Dialogue:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The <\/span><\/span><\/span>\u2018Delhi Dialogue\u2019 (DD)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> mechanism <\/span><\/span><\/span>hosted by India annually<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
It is traditionally<\/span><\/span><\/span> inaugurated jointly by India and ASEAN<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> at the Foreign Minister\u2019s level.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
It serves as the <\/span><\/span><\/span>main Track 1.5mechanism<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> for our engagement.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Significance of ASEAN for India<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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ASEAN led Mechanisms:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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India shares a deep connection with ASEAN and has continued its active engagement in many areas contributing to<\/span><\/span><\/span> regional peace and stability<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>, particularly through <\/span><\/span><\/span>ASEAN led mechanisms<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>, such as:<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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East Asia Summit.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
ASEAN Regional Forum.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
ADMM-Plus. <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>The ADMM Plus is an annual meeting of Defence Ministers of 10 ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries and eight dialogue partner countries – Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Central to India\u2019s Act East policy:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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ASEAN is central to India\u2019s Act East policy, which focuses on the extended neighbourhood in the Asia-Pacific region.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Indo-Pacific is an interconnected geography where ASEAN is at its core.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Both ASEAN and India believe that<\/span><\/span><\/span> openness, inclusiveness, rules-based order, freedom of navigation <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>and <\/span><\/span><\/span>peaceful settlement of disputes<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> lie at the very core of the Indo-Pacific.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Maritime Connectivity & Security:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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India is surrounded by the Indian Ocean and ASEAN Countries have borders with Indo-Pacific waters.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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This opens up plenty of opportunities for India and other countries to work on maritime security, trade, and better supply chain networks.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
India is consciously working with ASEAN towards a<\/span><\/span><\/span> vision of an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>in tandem with initiatives such as\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The <\/span><\/span><\/span>Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
To ensure <\/span><\/span><\/span>Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
India and some of the ASEAN countries are also members of the recently launched <\/span><\/span><\/span>Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Checks Chinese Dominance:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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Maritime cooperation in terms of connectivity, safety and security has gained high attention in the<\/span><\/span><\/span> backdrop of China’s advancements in the South China Sea<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
India will gain better positioning against China’s increasing dominating presence in the area.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
ASEAN\u2019s challenges<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Threat to stability:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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For a long, the assumption of China as the primary economic partner and the US as the primary security guarantor has been at the heart of the ASEAN balance.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Today, that balance is falling apart and the Russia-Ukraine war has further aggravated this tension.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
This sharpening of major power rivalry is threatening the underlying stability on which rested the regional growth and prosperity over the last several decades.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
No voice on critical regional and global issues:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The grouping remains fractured in its response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, on managing the US-China contestation, and closer to home on dealing with the military junta in Myanmar and China\u2019s aggression in the South China Sea.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
ASEAN will lose its relevance if it continues to be a divided house, unable to forge consensus on critical regional and global issues.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Way Ahead<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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India will have to level up its engagements significantly in order to remain relevant in a part of the world that is viewed as critical to the future stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Trade and connectivity will be critical in order to enhance its profile in the ASEAN region.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
India can also develop strong bilateral partnerships with like-minded partners within ASEAN as the grouping continues to struggle with its internal cohesion.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\n\n\n
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Daily Mains Question<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
[Q] <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>Analyse the significance of ASEAN as the \u2018central pillar\u2019 of India\u2019s Act East Policy. What are the challenges faced by the grouping?\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
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Speaking at the 20th ASEAN-India summit in Jakarta, the Indian Prime Minister said that ASEAN is the \u201ccentral pillar\u201d of India\u2019s Act East Policy and India fully supports the group\u2019s centrality and outlook on the Indo-Pacific.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16093,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[30,50],"class_list":["post-16715","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editorial-analysis","tag-gs-2","tag-important-international-institutions"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2023\/09\/4463877Screenshot_2.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16715","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16715"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16715\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16093"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16715"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16715"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16715"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}