South East Asia Relations

South East Asia - SEA

• comprising 11 Countries, lies at vital strategic location b/w india, china, australia
• multifaceted ties: spanning trade, security, connectivity, culture

Siginficance

• economic ties: ASEAN is India’s 4th largest trading Partner - 11% of global Indian trade
  • 2023-24 trade: $122B
• Infra development: IMT Highway, Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project, Mekong India Economic Corridor
• Defence: Joint military exercise eg Garuda Shakti (Indonesia), Intelligence sharing
• Energy coop: oil exploration(Nam Con Son Basin), renewables via Intl. Solar Alliance
• S&T: ASEAN-India S&T Development Fund
• Cultural Links: Buddhism, temple restoration in Cambodia eg. Angkor wat
• Mekong Ganga cooperaiton: tourism, culture, edu, transport, communication

India & ASEAN

• geopolitics: ASEAN central to India’s Act East
• geo ecoonmics: India-ASEAN FTA 2010 - 7% of global GDP & 26% of world poulation
• geostrategy: 1st ASEAN India Maritime Exercise May 2023
  • logistics support agreement w/ Sinapore - Changi Naval Base
  • Defence Ministers Meeting Action Plan 2021-2025

Challenges in India - ASEAN

• economic concern: india’s RCEP exit
• trade imbalance: deficit:
  • 2011: $7.5B
  • 2023: $44B
• lack of multilateralism - preference for bilateralism
• china’s influence: BRI projects limit india’s regional role
• connectivity issues: delays in Kaladan & Trilateral Highway

Diaspora in SEA

• economic: major investor eg. Tata
• Cultural: spread of Ramayana, Mahabharata (Thai Ramakien, Javanese Ramayana)
• philanthropy: Tata Trusts
• Politics: Indian origin leaders: S Jayakumar (Singapore)

Way forward

• 10 Point plan: reinfonce india’s ASEAN centrality
• expand & rebalance ASEAN India FTA
• Maritime cooperation: secure SLOC & Indo pacific stability
• counter china eg. Indo Pacific Maritime Partnership
• Connectivtiy: fast track Trilateral Highway, extending to other ASEAN nations