55th anniversary of ASEAN

In News

• August 2022 marks an important occasion of the 55th anniversary of ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations).

ASEAN-India Friendship Year

• The year 2022 also marks the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations & the 10th anniversary of India’s Strategic Partnership with ASEAN. 
  • So, the year has been designated as the ASEAN-India Friendship Year.
• The Special ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (SAIFMM) was hosted by India in New Delhi recently.
• Significance:
  • This is important as it will strengthen the ASEAN-India Strategic Partnership.
    • Plan of Action 2021-2025:
    • The ongoing India-ASEAN collaboration is guided by the Plan of Action 2021-2025 which was adopted in 2020.
    • The plan of Action envisages greater cooperation in areas ranging from trade to maritime security and counter-terrorism.

ASEAN – India Relations:

• Multi-level interaction:
  • Engagement with ASEAN is a multi-level interaction process. 
    • At the apex is the annual summit “ASEAN-India Summit” 
    • Summits are supported by meetings at the Foreign Minister level “ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers Meeting”-AIFMM.
  • India shares a deep connection with ASEAN and has continued its active engagement in many areas contributing to regional peace and stability, particularly through ASEAN-led mechanisms, such as:
    • East Asia Summit.
    • ASEAN Regional Forum.
    • ADMM-Plus. 
      • 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.
• Delhi Dialogue:
  • The ‘Delhi Dialogue’ (DD) mechanism hosted by India annually, 
  • It is traditionally inaugurated jointly by India and ASEAN at the Foreign Minister’s level.
  • It serves as the main Track 1.5mechanism for our engagement. 
    • The DD-mechanism allows the participation of think tanks, academics and prominent civil society persons from both India and the ASEAN region. 
    • In addition to government representatives, with the objective of contributing ideas and perspectives to furthering the India-ASEAN strategic partnership.
  • The XIIth edition of the Delhi Dialogue was held in June, 2022.
• Act East Policy & Indo-Pacific:
  • Indo-Pacific is an interconnected geography where ASEAN is at its core. 
  • Both ASEAN and India believe that openness, inclusiveness, rules-based order, freedom of navigation and peaceful settlement of disputes lie at the very core of the Indo-Pacific. 
• Maritime Connectivity & Security:
  • India is surrounded by the Indian Ocean and ASEAN Countries have borders with Indo-Pacific waters. 
    • This opens up plenty of opportunities for India and other countries to work on maritime security, trade, and better supply chain networks.
  • India is consciously working with ASEAN towards a vision of an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific in tandem with initiatives such as 
    • The Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), 
    • To ensure Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR). 
  • India and some of the ASEAN countries are also members of the recently launched Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF).
• Checks Chinese Dominance: 
  • Maritime cooperation in terms of connectivity, safety and security has gained high attention in the backdrop of China’s advancements in the South China Sea. 
  • India will gain better positioning against China’s increasing dominating presence in the area.

Way Ahead

• ASEAN-led mechanisms should be regarded as a viable regional architecture platform for the Indo-Pacific region. 
  • India is one of the founding members of the East Asia Summit.
• ASEAN continues to maintain its central role in the evolving regional architecture in Southeast Asia and its surrounding regions.
  • India should increase its bilateral and multilateral engagements with ASEAN.
• ASEAN countries need to work to restore the ‘ASEAN centrality and unity’ through the strategic environment of competing interests.
• India should push for the reconciliation between Myanmar and the ASEAN.
• The focus must be on emerging challenges to international peace and security.

Source: TH