India and South East asia - Strategic engagement with ASEAN

Historical Perspective

Close cultural ties with ASEAN nations through common epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana. Buddhism is the spiritual nucleus of the Indo-ASEAN relations with revered shrines like bodhgaya an attraction for these nations .
Despite close cultural and historical ties India and the south east asian nations(SEAN)remained alienated for decades even after independence. The reasons include poor treatment of Indians in some of these countries as British used Indians as Indentured labourers in these countries. Hence Subhash Chandra bose took a major share of INA from the Indians of SEAN.
The willingness of the diplomacy to engage with more prosperous west than the relatively lesser prosperous east.
India and the ASEAN found them on the opposite sides of the cold war divide.
India also refused to join the ASEAN in the 70’s .

Look East Policy 90’s

India’s look east policy came when the Asian Tigers were roaring and Indian economy had gone into a classical economic crisis.It focused on a thorough engagement in the region through culture , commerce , connectivity and capacity building under which Indian foreign policy to the asean can be analysed.Mr.Modi has redefined the look east policy to an act east policy to push for greater and long term ties with SEAN with great vigour. To put on a positive impetus on India – ASEAN talks various high level exchanges have taken place since the modi regime has formed the govt. It includes the presidents visit to south east asia and that of external affairs minister’s visit to Vietnam .also organizations like DD ( Delhi dialogue ) and 12th India-ASEAN summit have been quite successful. The proceedings for FTA’s in investment and service is carried now with renewed zest. Also taken into purview is Maritime security and defense cooperation under the the new ACT EAST POLICY.

STRATEGIC ENGAGEMENTS

• Engaging with regional ( ASEAN , EAS ) and sub regional organizations ( MGC, BIMSTEC )
• Economics and business fundamental in India’s Strategic Engagement.
• A strategic partnership with ASEAN nations including military exchanges and maritime naval exercises ( Indonesia and Singapore ) will further deter the Chinese hegemony in South China sea.
• Economic Interdependence and Trade webs are the new dimensions of strategic engagements . It’s the contemporary style of diplomacy. Hence our diplomacy has to be made more commerce and business oriented.
• It needs to be done by exploited by enhancing the existing capacity , commerce , connectivity etc.
• Capacity Building-Imperative to reinvigorate culture,commerce and connectivity. To capitalize on the existing framework and organizations and to make them run in an effective manner is the need of the hour.
• ASEAN-Became a full dialogue member of the ASEAN and the ARF( Asian Regionla Forum ) in 1996.
• Comprehensive economic cooperation and framework agreement – 2003 – FTA’s in goods service and investment .
• FTA in goods has become fully operational since 2010 while that on services and goods has been finalized and is awaiting ministerial signatures. It is in India’s interest to make the FTA’s in services and investment happen as early as possible.
• RCEP-Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership-negotiatied by ASEAN,Australia , China , India , Japan , New Zealand and South Korea for greater economic cooperation in the south-east Asia and the Asia-Pacific as a whole.
• EAS AND MGC- EAS( east asia summit ) – Singapore and Japan played a key role in India’s inclusion in EAS. Major agenda’s-Energy, finance ,Disaster Management and Avian influenza.
• MGC-Mekong-Ganga Cooperation-Brings together the CLMV countries ( Cambodia , Laos , Myanmar and Vietnam ).Not operational to its full potential. Key areas to explore are education , culture , tourism , transport and communication.
• Thailand and India are the main drivers of MGC. Due to other existing frameworks like ACMECS and GMS its given less priority.
• The need is to club all these sub regional organizations i.eBIMSTEC , MGC , ACMECS and GMS to make them work unilaterally for greater mutual benefit.
• Improving Bilateral Relations along with multilateral talks through EAS , ASEAN , EAS , RCEP will certainly lead to closer Indo-ASEAN ties.
• Culture- Common tradition and culture provides spiritual and mental fodder to relationships . Many countries look towards India as an example to accommodate such extent of Plurality successfully.Same is the case of some ASEAN nations.Shared epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata along with the Buddhism is at the centre of cultural connect. People to People ties need to be established. Nalanda University – the ancient seat of learning has been working now which was an agenda under educational and cultural ties of Indo-ASEAN.
• Connectivity- The India Asean car rally to Batam( Indonesia ) signifies the geographical contiguity of South ASIA and South East Asia that has brought the 2 regions closer.
• The completion of Tamu-Kalewa-Kalemyo sector of the India – Myanmar – Thailand trilateral highway is poised to create a new dynamic in India’s multifaceted links to the region.
• Delhi – Hannoi rail link is proposed via MTC ( Malaysia Thailand and Cambodia ) will connect the heartlands of Indo-China and provide an alternate route to Malacca strait.
• Also the air connectivity of India to ASEAN is miserable that needs suitable upgradation.No direct flight from Delhi to Jakarta ( headquarters ASEAN ) . No connectivity of Delhi to any of the CLMV countries.
• Free transit permissions to cargo signed along with Border Trade Agreements .
• Commerce-TRADE ( Singapore> Malaysia >Indinesia ) FTA in goods was signed – fully operational from 2010. Bilateral trade has increased to 75BillionUS$ ( 10 fold increase since independence ) .
• Indian industries have to be optimistic about these FTA’s and not take a defensive stance for its imperative for the Indian producers to integrate the markets and reap maximum benefits out of RVC’s ( Regional Value Chains ).
• Professional access – MRA’s ( Mutual Recognition Agreement ) – Various professional qualifications ( legal,architecture,medical) need to be recognized in both India and ASEAN .
• India-Asean Business policy needs to be reinvigorated with separate Business Councils that would lure the business lobby of both to come to tables and discuss issues of shipping , expansion of SME’s etc.
• India has suitable investments in countries like Vietnam ( Videsh Oil Limited ).

Inida-ASEAN relations are poised to flourish in the coming future. With just the coming of FTA in trade the bilateral trade boosted 10 times .with the coming of service and investment FTA’s Indo-ASEAN relations will grow leaps and bounds.
We should be clear in our mindset that by increasing our engagement in south-east Asia we are not trying to create a circle of influence that is a cause of concern for players in the area like China . Our foreign policy has always been engaging all the major superpowers and then check the balance of power through our engagements. The NAM policy policy had also this broader agenda at its heart.

By: Dilpreet singh