ASEAN and India relations : Decoded

Reason for Increasing Proximity:-

• China ignoring the verdict of the tribunal and maintain aggressive posture. While the USA stepping back form Providing common good. In addition to that USA also step back form TPP. ASEAN has to find new balancer. ). Lee of Singapore envisaged India as a balancer in the 1980s and not the time was ripe for that.
  
  
• India and ASEAN both want the rule-based and free regional architecture.

• Earlier Russia also played a important role in Region as it is a key military supplier to Malaysia and Vietnam. But after the western sanction, Russia also drifted towards China.

• Modi stressed that India Share Land and the Maritime boundary with ASEAN but do not have any territorial dispute ( China have many and recently China overrule Tribunal Judgments in South China sea.

China's leverage on ASEAN:-

• China is largest trade partner of the ASEAN. Having 5 times larger trade rations than India.

• In addition to that, China and ASEAN linked by chian of the industrial activities as parts manufacture in ASEAN and assembled in China.

Indian affronts for Increasing Cooperation:-

• Asia Africa corridor where ASEAN suppose to play the role of the eastern anchor. 

• Presence of the 10 leaders of the ASEAN is a sign of the increasing involvement between both.

• India gives $1 billion LOC for the Physical and Digital connectivity.

• The Union Cabinet has given a go-ahead to a Project Development Fund (PDF) with a corpus of ₹500 crore to help Indian business explore economic opportunities in Cambodia, Laos Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV) which could serve as a gateway to other markets including China and the European Union.

The disparity between India and ASEAN on some issues:-

• Excessive focus on the Indo Pacific dilutes the concerns of the ASEAN in regional forums like ARF and EAS. None member of ASEAN supports the Idea of the Indopacific yet.

• ASEAN want the Strong IN presence in the East Indian Ocean while India still maintains the reticence to involve there as Indian interest more in West Asian waters.

• Clarity on Indian role as balancer:- India supports the Freedom of navigation in South china sea but Do not get beyond that. ASEAN expecting robust Indian presence in Region. ASEAN want more clarity regarding Indian intention to play role of balancer.

Weakness in Indian Approach:-

• The bilateral relation is different than multilateral, Historically India finds hard to deal with the EU and ASEAN as group.
  
• India gives priority to some members of ASEAN like Singapore and BIMSTEC but this also prevents India to claim for the regional stakeholder.

What India needs to do?

• Culture - Commerce and connectivity - 3Cs drive Idnia ASEAn relations. 

• Have to assure that quad do not mean to shift attention from ASEAN.

• Expedite progress of the kaladan , trilateral highway etc. 

• China having 3 time more flight to ASEAN than India , Need to increase that.

• India offering scholarship to ASEAN for nalanda , Need to extend this for IITs and IIMs. 

• Only 3 countries of 10 of ASEAN that India has a cultural center. Need to expand this.

• VIsa on arrival counter in each NE state capital for the ASEAN citizen.