{"id":57770,"date":"2025-10-28T21:07:23","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T15:37:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=57770"},"modified":"2025-10-29T19:07:35","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T13:37:35","slug":"22nd-india-asean-summit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/28-10-2025\/22nd-india-asean-summit","title":{"rendered":"22nd India-ASEAN Summit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/IR<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The<strong> 22nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-India Summit <\/strong>was held in Malaysia.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Philippines set to take over the seat in 2026.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Highlights of the Summit<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Reviewed progress in ASEAN-India relations <\/strong>and <strong>discussed new initiatives<\/strong> to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This marked his <strong>12th participation<\/strong> in the India-ASEAN Summit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The summit called for the <strong>early review of the ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement (AITIGA).<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In line with the Malaysian Chair\u2019s theme of<strong> \u201cInclusivity and Sustainability<\/strong>,\u201d the Prime Minister announced a series of initiatives to deepen cooperation:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>implementation of the<strong> ASEAN-India Plan of Action (2026\u20132030),\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>adoption of the ASEAN-India Joint Leaders\u2019 Statement on<strong> Sustainable Tourism,\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>and designation of <strong>2026 as the \u201cASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation.\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Holding <strong>East Asia Summit Maritime Heritage Festival <\/strong>at Lothal, Gujarat.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>He also proposed organising the <strong>Second ASEAN-India Defence Ministers\u2019 Meeting <\/strong>and the <strong>Second ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise<\/strong> to promote a secure and open maritime environment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)<\/strong><br>&#8211; It was established in <strong>1967 in Bangkok, Thailand.<\/strong><br>&#8211; <strong>It was founded by five countries:<\/strong> Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.<br>&#8211; <strong>Aim: <\/strong>To promote regional cooperation and stability amid Cold War tensions.<br>&#8211; <strong>Headquarters: <\/strong>Jakarta, Indonesia.<br>&#8211; <strong>Current Member States: <\/strong>ASEAN currently consists of 11 member countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and East Timor.<br>&#8211; <strong>ASEAN maintains dialogue partnerships<\/strong> with multiple countries and organizations, including India, China, the USA, Japan, Australia, the EU, and others.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Brief on India-ASEAN Relations<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Foundation: <\/strong>Cooperation began in the 1990s.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Driven by shared economic and strategic interests.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Also a response to China\u2019s growing influence in the region.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Policy Framework: <\/strong>\u201cLook East Policy\u201d initiated in the 1990s, it was transformed into the \u201cAct East Policy\u201d in 2014, marking a more action-oriented approach to deepen ties with ASEAN.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Milestones in the Partnership:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>1992: India became a Sectoral Dialogue Partner.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1996: Elevated to Full Dialogue Partner.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2012: Upgraded to a Strategic Partnership.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2022: Elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Trade and investment:<\/strong> India and ASEAN have signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), significantly boosting trade and investment.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>ASEAN is India\u2019s 4th largest trading partner, with total trade reaching US$110.4 billion in 2021-22.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Between FY 2009 and FY 2023, India\u2019s imports from ASEAN surged by 234.4 percent, while its exports to the bloc increased by only 130.4 percent.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Consequently, India\u2019s trade deficit with ASEAN widened from US$7.5 billion in 2011 to approximately US$44 billion in 2023.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Regional connectivity:<\/strong> India is working to improve connectivity with ASEAN through projects like the India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) trilateral highway and the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport project.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Defense and security:<\/strong> Defense ties between India and ASEAN have deepened through joint military exercises such as the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise and participation in the ASEAN Defense Ministers\u2019 Meeting Plus (ADMM+).\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India also places ASEAN at the heart of its Indo-Pacific vision for regional security and growth (SAGAR \u2013 Security and Growth for All in the Region).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Socio-cultural cooperation:<\/strong> To strengthen people-to-people connections, India and ASEAN have promoted various cultural exchanges, such as the ASEAN Students Exchange Programme, training courses for ASEAN diplomats, and the ASEAN-India Network of Think Tanks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>India-ASEAN FTA<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation between ASEAN and India was signed in 2003<\/strong>, establishing the legal foundation for subsequent agreements.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These agreements include the trade in goods agreement, trade in services agreement, and investment agreement, which together form the <strong>ASEAN-India Free Trade Area (AIFTA).<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement<\/strong> was signed and came into effect in 2010.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Under this agreement, ASEAN member states and India committed to gradually open their markets by reducing and eliminating tariffs on 76.4% of goods.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The ASEAN-India Trade in Services Agreement<\/strong>, signed in 2014, includes provisions on transparency, domestic regulations, market access, national treatment, recognition, and dispute settlement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The ASEAN-India Investment Agreement,<\/strong> also signed in 2014, ensures protection of investments, including fair and equitable treatment for investors, non-discriminatory practices in cases of expropriation or nationalization, and guarantees of fair compensation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges With AIFTA<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Widening Trade Deficit: <\/strong>India\u2019s trade deficit with ASEAN has consistently widened since the FTA. Indian imports from ASEAN grew faster than exports, leading to asymmetrical gains.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Limited Market Access for Indian Services:<\/strong> The India-ASEAN Trade in Services and Investment Agreements, which came into force in 2015, remain underutilised.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Despite India\u2019s strength in services, ASEAN countries offered limited liberalisation in sectors like IT, professional services, and healthcare.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs): <\/strong>ASEAN members often impose complex standards, licensing requirements, and other regulatory barriers.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These nullify tariff concessions and restrict Indian exports, especially in agriculture and pharmaceuticals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Rules of Origin Issues:<\/strong> Lax rules of origin enable third countries (like China) to route goods via ASEAN to India, exploiting tariff benefits.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This undermines domestic manufacturing under Make in India.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Limited Gains for Indian Agriculture:<\/strong> Indian agricultural products face high sanitary and phytosanitary standards and quota restrictions.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Meanwhile, ASEAN countries export cheap palm oil, rubber, and spices, hurting Indian farmers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Negotiation Imbalance: <\/strong>India often faces difficulty in securing reciprocal concessions.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>ASEAN acts as a bloc, whereas India negotiates alone, leading to less negotiating leverage.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Way Forward<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs): <\/strong>India must push for a transparent mechanism to address NTBs, particularly in sectors like pharmaceuticals and agricultural products.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Rules of Origin (RoO): <\/strong>Tighter and clearer RoO criteria can prevent circumvention and ensure that genuine ASEAN-India trade flows are promoted.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Supply Chain Resilience:<\/strong> India and ASEAN share an interest in reducing overdependence on single-country supply chains, collaborative investment in resilient and diversified supply chains in electronics, semiconductors, and critical minerals could be a win-win.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sustainability and Green Growth: <\/strong>Joint ventures in solar energy, electric mobility, and climate-smart agriculture could strengthen the partnership.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/pm-modi-47th-asean-summit-virtual-address\/article70204727.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Context<\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">The 22nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-India Summit was held in Malaysia.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong>Key Highlights of the Summit<\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">Reviewed progress in ASEAN-India relations and discussed new initiatives to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.<\/li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/28-10-2025\/22nd-india-asean-summit\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read\u00a0More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":57786,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-57770","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/10\/india-asean-summit-22nd.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57770","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\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57770"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57770\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":57898,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57770\/revisions\/57898"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/57786"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57770"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57770"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57770"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}