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On going warm relations between India and ASEAN received a boost following Prime Minister Modi’s announcement of 10-point plan at the just concluded ASEAN-India Summit and East Asia Summit in Vientiane in Laos
It will be recalled that since 1992 India had adopted a ‘Look East’ policy with gradual engagement with various institutional mechanisms of the ASEAN.
And in 2014 it was taken to the next strategic orbit. During this visit two Joint Statements were adopted to strengthen digital transformation and Comprehensive Strategic Partnership which are expected to lay the groundwork for ASEAN-India collaboration in future.
The framework encompasses 4Cs approach which includes Commerce, connectivity, culture and continuity and innovation of ideas and strategic projects given the uncertain and transitional global order and shape of things to come. Hence ‘connectivity of connectivities’ assumes greater significance.
Enriching India-ASEAN ties through 10-point plan
The theme of the ASEAN-India Summit was “Enhancing connectivity and Resilience.” In keeping with this theme, PM Modi announced a 10-point plan and it included:
Celebrating 2025 as ASEAN-India Year of Tourism for which India will make available USD 5 million towards joint activities;
Celebrate a decade of Act East Policy through several people centric activities including Youth Summit, Start-up Festival, Hackathon, Music Festival, ASEAN-India Network of Think Tanks and Delhi Dialogue;
Doubling the number of scholarships at Nalanda University and provision of new scholarships for ASEAN students at Agriculture Universities in India;
A women scientist conclave under the India-ASEAN S&T Fund;
Expeditious review and conclusion of ASEAN-India Trade in Good Agreement by 2025;
Allocation of $5mn for disaster resilience from India-ASEAN Fund;
Institutionalisation of health ministers’ meetings for ensuring health security;
Digital and cyber policy dialogue;
Green future through regular workshops and exchange of information and expertise;
Supporting climate resilience through " Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” (Plant for Mother).
Inclusive but rules-based Indo-Pacific
India has consistently supported an inclusive but rules-based Indo-Pacific where global goods and global commons must be available for the global welfare.
Hegemonistic approaches must be shunned. India has stood by the unity and centrality of ASEAN.
ASEAN is also pivotal to India's Indo-Pacific vision and Quad cooperation. There are important similarities between India’s "Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative" and the "ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific."
A free, open, inclusive, prosperous, and rules-based Indo-Pacific is crucial for the peace and progress of the entire region. The peace, security, and stability in the South China Sea are in the interest of the entire Indo-Pacific region, PM Modi reiterated.
Inclusivity was also emphasised when India broached the need for including Myanmar and helping it move towards democracy. The early completion and operationalisation of the India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) Trilateral Highway while looking forward to its eastward extension to Lao PDR, Cambodia and Viet Nam was also emphasised.
He underscored, “We believe that maritime activities should be conducted in accordance with UNCLOS.
Ensuring freedom of navigation and airspace is essential. A robust and effective Code of Conduct should be developed. And, it should not impose restrictions on the foreign policies of regional countries. Our approach should focus on development and not expansionism.”
Dialogue and diplomacy for peace
As the world is facing the adverse impacts of the ongoing Eurasian and Middle East wars, which are disproportionately affecting the Global South, need for dialogue and diplomacy and peace were re-emphasised while stating that this is not an age of war. Coming from the Land of Buddha peace not ‘Yuddh’(war) are desirable.
Advancing digital transformation
India’s quest and achievements in the use and provision of Digital Public Goods and Infrastructure are exemplary and were offered and reflected in the Joint statement on Advancing Digital Transformation.
These were seen as catalysing digital transformation and promoting inclusivity, efficiency, and innovation in public service delivery; connecting individuals, communities, industries, organizations, and countries across geographies, taking into account different domestic and international contexts while smoothly blending in with ASEAN Digital Master Plan (2026-30) and common goals of ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
An ASEAN-India Fund for Digital Future to support joint activities was also launched.
Bilateral engagements
PM Modi held bilateral meetings with Australian, New Zealand, Japan, and other ASEAN counterparts apart from his host the Laotian Prime Minister on the sidelines of the 21st ASEAN-India Summit. In fact, it was his first meeting with the new leaders of Japan, Thailand, and New Zealand. He also called on the President of Laos.
India-Laos cooperation based on historic and civilizational links was further expanded through new MoUs and Agreements as well as various areas of bilateral cooperation such as development partnership, capacity building, disaster management, renewable energy, heritage restoration, economic ties, defence collaboration, and people-to-people ties were explored.
Prime Minister Siphandone thanked the Prime Minister for India’s flood relief assistance provided to Lao PDR in the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi.
The two leaders noted that the ongoing restoration and conservation of Vat Phou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, under Indian assistance by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) imparts a special dimension to bilateral ties.
MoUs/ Agreement pertaining to the areas of defence, broadcasting, customs cooperation, and three Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) under the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation were exchanged in the presence of the two leaders.
The QIPs relate to preservation of heritage of Lao Ramayan, restoration of Wat Pakea Buddhist temple with murals related to Ramayan, and support to shadow puppetry theatre on Ramayan in Champasak province.
PM Modi also witnessed an episode of Lao Ramayan - called Phalak Phalam or Phra Lak Phra Ram- performed by the prestigious Royal Theatre of Luang Prabang which underscores People to People exchanges.
All three QIPs have an Indian government grant assistance of about US$ 50000 each. India will also provide a grant assistance of about USD 1 million to improve nutrition security in Lao PDR. This assistance through the India UN Development Partnership Fund, will be the Fund’s first such project in South-East Asia.
Conclusion
Even though India -ASEAN trade has crossed US$130 billion and as a group stands as the second biggest trading partner after the US the fact remains that the trade is skewed in terms of deficit and expense across the ten nations which would need to be addressed. Hopefully, the revised FTA and inclusion of services could address the anomalies.
PM Modi thanked Singapore for being India’s coordinator during the last three years and expressed gratitude to the Philippines for taking over the baton. He congratulated Malaysia for taking over the presidency of ASEAN.
PM Modi reiterated that this is the Asian century and, in this effort the comprehensive strategic partners India and ASEAN will play a critical role and it will be their century.
Maritime security domain awareness and cooperation is the key area which could be achieved through the exchange of visits, joint military exercises, maritime exercise, port calls by naval ships and defence scholarships among others.
India’s role is central in the Indo-Pacific as was also symbolically evident in the family picture where PM Modi stood in the centre of the ASEAN family.
***The writer is a Distinguished Fellow at Vivekananda International Foundation; he was the ambassador of India to Jordan, Libya, and Malta; views expressed here are his own
Dialogue and diplomacy for peace
As the world is facing the adverse impacts of the ongoing Eurasian and Middle East wars, which are disproportionately affecting the Global South, need for dialogue and diplomacy and peace were re-emphasised while stating that this is not an age of war. Coming from the Land of Buddha peace not ‘Yuddh’(war) are desirable.
Advancing digital transformation
India’s quest and achievements in the use and provision of Digital Public Goods and Infrastructure are exemplary and were offered and reflected in the Joint statement on Advancing Digital Transformation.
These were seen as catalysing digital transformation and promoting inclusivity, efficiency, and innovation in public service delivery; connecting individuals, communities, industries, organizations, and countries across geographies, taking into account different domestic and international contexts while smoothly blending in with ASEAN Digital Master Plan (2026-30) and common goals of ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
An ASEAN-India Fund for Digital Future to support joint activities was also launched.
Bilateral engagements
PM Modi held bilateral meetings with Australian, New Zealand, Japan, and other ASEAN counterparts apart from his host the Laotian Prime Minister on the sidelines of the 21st ASEAN-India Summit. In fact, it was his first meeting with the new leaders of Japan, Thailand, and New Zealand. He also called on the President of Laos.
India-Laos cooperation based on historic and civilizational links was further expanded through new MoUs and Agreements as well as various areas of bilateral cooperation such as development partnership, capacity building, disaster management, renewable energy, heritage restoration, economic ties, defence collaboration, and people-to-people ties were explored.
Prime Minister Siphandone thanked the Prime Minister for India’s flood relief assistance provided to Lao PDR in the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi.
The two leaders noted that the ongoing restoration and conservation of Vat Phou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, under Indian assistance by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) imparts a special dimension to bilateral ties.
MoUs/ Agreement pertaining to the areas of defence, broadcasting, customs cooperation, and three Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) under the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation were exchanged in the presence of the two leaders.
The QIPs relate to preservation of heritage of Lao Ramayan, restoration of Wat Pakea Buddhist temple with murals related to Ramayan, and support to shadow puppetry theatre on Ramayan in Champasak province.
PM Modi also witnessed an episode of Lao Ramayan - called Phalak Phalam or Phra Lak Phra Ram- performed by the prestigious Royal Theatre of Luang Prabang which underscores People to People exchanges.
All three QIPs have an Indian government grant assistance of about US$ 50000 each. India will also provide a grant assistance of about USD 1 million to improve nutrition security in Lao PDR. This assistance through the India UN Development Partnership Fund, will be the Fund’s first such project in South-East Asia.
Conclusion
Even though India -ASEAN trade has crossed US$130 billion and as a group stands as the second biggest trading partner after the US the fact remains that the trade is skewed in terms of deficit and expense across the ten nations which would need to be addressed. Hopefully, the revised FTA and inclusion of services could address the anomalies.
PM Modi thanked Singapore for being India’s coordinator during the last three years and expressed gratitude to the Philippines for taking over the baton. He congratulated Malaysia for taking over the presidency of ASEAN.
PM Modi reiterated that this is the Asian century and, in this effort the comprehensive strategic partners India and ASEAN will play a critical role and it will be their century.
Maritime security domain awareness and cooperation is the key area which could be achieved through the exchange of visits, joint military exercises, maritime exercise, port calls by naval ships and defence scholarships among others.
India’s role is central in the Indo-Pacific as was also symbolically evident in the family picture where PM Modi stood in the centre of the ASEAN family.
***The writer is a Distinguished Fellow at Vivekananda International Foundation; he was the ambassador of India to Jordan, Libya, and Malta; views expressed here are his own
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