India–Asean Relations: Political, Economic and Defence Cooperation

The partnership between India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) forms a cornerstone of India’s foreign policy in the Indo-Pacific region. Historical, cultural, and economic ties between South Asia and Southeast Asia span over two millennia, shaped by maritime trade routes, religious exchanges, and civilizational contacts. In the post-Cold War period, India shifted its strategic orientation toward Southeast Asia through the Look East Policy launched in 1991. This policy transitioned into the action-oriented Act East Policy in 2014, expanding engagement from economic ties to strategic, security, and connectivity domains. In 2022, marking 30 years of dialogue relations, India and ASEAN elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Historical Evolution and Institutional Growth

The institutional structure of India–ASEAN relations progressed through distinct stages following the economic reforms of 1991.

• Sectoral Dialogue Partner (1992): India initially established a sectoral dialogue with ASEAN covering trade, investment, tourism, and science and technology.
• Full Dialogue Partner (1996): India gained full dialogue status, enabling participation in broader post-ministerial conferences.
• Summit-Level Partnership (2002): The relationship reached the summit level at Phnom Penh, Cambodia, establishing annual bilateral summits between Indian and ASEAN leaders.
• Strategic Partnership (2012): During the Commemorative Summit in New Delhi, ties were upgraded to a Strategic Partnership.
• Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2022): The status was elevated to reflect growing strategic convergence across security, maritime, and economic domains.

Institutional Frameworks

India actively participates in several ASEAN-led multilateral platforms:

• ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF): Joined by India in 1996, ARF serves as a key platform for political and security dialogue in the Indo-Pacific.
• East Asia Summit (EAS): Established in 2005, EAS involves leaders from 18 nations discussing political, security, and economic issues.
• ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus): Launched in 2010, this platform facilitates practical defence cooperation among ASEAN members and eight dialogue partners.

Economic Cooperation and Trade Dynamics

ASEAN is India’s fourth-largest trading partner. Economic integration expanded following the signing of key framework agreements.

Free Trade Agreements

• ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA): Signed in August 2009 and operationalized on January 1, 2010. It reduced tariffs on over 80% of traded goods.
• ASEAN-India Trade in Services and Investment Agreements: Signed in 2014 and brought into force in July 2015, completing the ASEAN-India Free Trade Area (AFTA).
• AITIGA Review: Both sides initiated a joint review of AITIGA to modernise the agreement, simplify rules of origin, and address trade imbalance concerns.

Trade Metrics and RCEP Exit

Total bilateral trade between India and ASEAN exceeds $100 billion. Principal Indian exports include petroleum products, organic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and machinery. Major Indian imports from ASEAN include palm oil, electronics, organic chemicals, and coal. India opted out of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in November 2019 during the Bangkok Summit. India cited unresolved issues regarding market access, inadequate safeguards against import surges, trade deficit concerns, and non-tariff barriers.

Connectivity and Strategic Infrastructure

India’s engagement under the Act East Policy focuses on three main pillars: Commerce, Culture, and Connectivity. Physical and digital infrastructure projects connect India’s North-Eastern states with Southeast Asian countries.

• India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) Trilateral Highway: A 1,360-kilometer highway connecting Moreh in Manipur, India, to Mae Sot in Thailand via Myanmar. Future plans involve extending this corridor to Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
• Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMMTTP): Connects the eastern Indian port of Kolkata with Sittwe port in Rakhine State, Myanmar. It links Sittwe to Paletwa along the Kaladan River, continuing by road to Mizoram.
• Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC): Established in 2000, MGC comprises India and five ASEAN nations (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam) focusing on tourism, culture, education, and transportation.
• Digital Public Infrastructure: Cross-border payment integrations link India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) with Singapore’s PayNow to enable real-time retail remittances.

Defence and Maritime Security Cooperation

Maritime security remains a vital component of India–ASEAN engagement due to shared interest in maintaining open Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOCs) through the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea.

Maritime Synergies

India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) aligns directly with the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). Both frameworks promote a rules-based order, freedom of navigation, and overflight in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Bilateral and Multilateral Military Exercises

In May 2023, India and ASEAN held the inaugural ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME) in the South China Sea, strengthening tactical interoperability among participating navies.

Key Facts for Quick Revision

• ASEAN Establishment: Founded on August 8, 1967, through the Bangkok Declaration. Secretariat is located in Jakarta, Indonesia.
• ASEAN Member Countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
• Turn in Policy: Look East Policy was launched in 1991 under Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao; renamed Act East Policy in 2014 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• Dialogue Level Progression: Sectoral Dialogue Partner (1992) -> Full Dialogue Partner (1996) -> Summit Partner (2002) -> Strategic Partner (2012) -> Comprehensive Strategic Partner (2022).
• Key Summit Events: The 2018 ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit in New Delhi issued the Delhi Declaration; all 10 ASEAN leaders attended as Chief Guests for India’s Republic Day Parade.
• First ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME): Conducted in May 2023 off the coast of Singapore and in international waters of the South China Sea.
• Landmark Projects: India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway links Moreh (Manipur) to Mae Sot (Thailand).
• Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC): Formed in 2000, covers India alongside Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam (6 member countries total).