Introduction
The all-time strategic significance of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) region in the Asian continent is widely recognised. The region comprising Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand as its members has gained prominence in the eyes of the world community due to expansion of trades amongst other reasons. Over the period, few more countries such as Brunei, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar also joined the ASEAN.
Objective behind ASEAN Formation
The purpose behind creation of ASEAN was to promote growth, cultural development and to ensure political and economic stability in the region through mutual cooperation. There were some apprehensions initially when India wished to join ASEAN because of its huge size and population
After India’s engagement with ASEAN through sectoral dialogue partnership in 1992, the India-ASEAN partnership moved a step further in various sectors that included tourism, trade as well as science and technology. India received invitation to join as a full dialogue partner from ASEAN in 1995. Over the long time, India has signed pacts with various countries, which adjusted the tariff so that even the East Asian countries find it suitable for them.
India is involved in dialogues with Singapore to form a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). It committed economic cooperation to push the trade turnover further up to $12 billion. Malaysia and Singapore have been the most prominent trading partners for India.
The tourism sector is also a beneficiary of the boost in intra trade. Other things anticipated to play a significant part in ASEAN are counter-terrorism, disaster management and maritime security. The future of ASEAN seems bright and the prospects of bilateral trade links is expected to be significant in future.
India in its firm commitment to the ‘Look-East’ Policy is looking to foster partnership and build links with countries in the region. The foreign policy of India should be good enough to meet its ambitions as it is gradually emerging as a power to reckon with in the Asian region.
To register its benign presence in the entire Southeast Asia regardless of neighbouring China, India needs to spread its zone of influence using diplomacy and cordial approach. The government is more focussed in its approach towards ‘Look-East Policy’ with the liberalisation of Indian economy and working on further expansion of its relationship with South-East Asian countries.
The signing of free trade area pact between India and Thailand allows import of 84 items at half the normal duty charge existing in India. The objective of this move was to keep the same tariff across the Southeast Asian countries.
India and the ASEAN countries, in their endeavours to take the cooperation between the two countries to the next level, have taken concrete steps in the form of the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) and the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA).
The relations between India and ASEAN have improved further with regular India- ASEAN summits taking place and the ongoing transformation in international politics over the last two decades. The trading between India and ASEAN has been facilitated further due to improved relations in political and security aspects and signing of many other trade pacts.
In the twenty-first century, which is being termed as the Asian century, India and China are slated to be the major players. India’s cooperation with ASEAN is expected to resemble the Eurozone with less trade restriction, freedom of movement without visa requirement and good interconnectivity in the form of highways and other infrastructure.
Conclusion
ASEAN countries should perceive India’s rise as a major international power as an asset that can raise the reputation of the country multi-fold. India’s emergence as a powerhouse of Asia should encourage the countries to hold a positive perception of the opportunities that would come across their way to development, by engaging with India along with a healthy and peaceful Asian order.
Ensuring stability in the region by maintaining cooperation between the countries and facilitating trade in achieving its objective of expanding trade to boost the economy and provide employment opportunities to people in the region, would be some kind of litmus test for Indian policy-makers which they have to pass.
The reputation of India being a peacekeeper amongst many disturbing elements in the region find favour among the other countries in the region who would look to associate with India to make growth and to maintain peace and harmony.