The twenty-first century belongs to the Asia-Pacific part.
This part has presence of most of the major participants in the universe order: the USA, Russia, China, Japan, ASEAN states and India. It has seven of the 10 most thickly settled states in the universe, some of the largest standing ground forcess including atomic arm provinces.
The part besides has immense sedimentations of natural resources including abundant hydrocarbons and of import sea lanes and trade paths. In visible radiation of these facts, it is imperative that the growing and stableness in this part would hold direct bearing on the universe order.
The ASEAN states have a polar function to play in this part, a fact acknowledged by the Indian Prime Minister in the 8th ASEAN-India Acme in 2010, every bit good. The notable growing rate of ASEAN states in last three decennaries makes them one of the most dynamic parts in the universe. India has had a similar narrative in last one decennary being the 2nd fastest turning economic system in the universe after China.
China could be an of import spouse of ASEAN on economic forepart but is non ideologically in sync with the ASEAN states and is frequently seen as a menace in the country. The other universe participants in the part e.g. USA and Russia are seen as excess regional powers while Japan is stabilising its ain economic system.
This provides India and ASEAN a alone chance to join forces, collaborate and spouse, non merely in economic sector but besides on other sectors e.g. security, societal, cultural, educational, scientific discipline and engineering, good administration, energy and touristry.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR COOPERATION
Opportunity for Political and Security Cooperation
Political.
Post Second World War, the international diplomatic negotiations has been governed by the UN Charter. This Charter was made by the five dominant states of the universe in 1940s in audience with 40 six other members.
However, this Charter is non brooding of the worlds and sentiment of the present times when the universe order has been redefined and the UN has 192 strong members. India and ASEAN can work closely towards forcing the demand for democratising and reforming the UN by taking united base stand foring the positions and aspirations of developing states for just intervention and representation.
India and ASEAN should work together to guarantee that Southeast Asia is free from the atomic or arms of mass devastation. Under the ARF, they should proactively work towards care of regional peace and stableness.
Security.
International terrorist act, drug trafficking, weaponries smuggling, cyber offenses, economic offenses and sea buccaneering is on the rise in the part. India and ASEAN should heighten sharing of information and intelligence on such issues and battle them together. Joint preparation and exercisings should be developed and organized to control and extinguish them.
The enterprise taken by the Indian Navy in this respect by carry oning two-year meetings ‘MILAN ‘ of the naval forcess from the Asia Pacific region/ IOR, in which naval forcess from the ASEAN states such as Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Philippines, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei have besides participated, has been helpful in this respect and widely appreciated.
Opportunity for Economic Cooperation
Trade and Investment.
India and ASEAN should set up the Regional Trade and Investment Area which would advance trade in goods, service and investing. India has extended aid to Laos for two Power Projects and to Cambodia for Banking Sector and Water Development Project.
The trade with Malaysia is set to increase manifold with the Malayan Prime Minister Najib puting an ambitious mark of US $ 50 billion by 2015 from US $ 7.06 in 2009. Malaysia has planned investings in India in power, oil refineries, substructure development undertakings, telecommunication and electrical equipment.
However, sufficient range lies in the countries of information engineering, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, route and conveyance direction and building.[ 1 ]
India ASEAN FTAs.
India and ASEAN should besides acquire the FTAs functional with all the ASEAN members. Presently FTA is functional between India and Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. India would shortly implement FTA with Indonesia and Cambodia while Laos, Philippines, Brunei and Myanmar would take some clip to go full members of FTA with India.
With a combined GDP of US $ 2.75 trillion and population of 1.8 billion, the ASEAN-India FTA is one of the largest in the universe.[ 2 ]
Foreign Direct Investments ( FDIs ) .
Both the spouses should advance and ease cross flow of FDIs and ease the processs involved in puting up concern and set uping linkages between investors and local enterprisers.
Custom Procedures.
Streamline usage processs, formalities and patterns in conformity with the international conventions to ease trade.
Aid to CLMV Countries.
India and advanced ASEAN member states should develop and advance the CLMV states through assorted concern enterprises. India should take this chance non merely to spread out her economic involvements, but besides earn good will.
Trade Fair/ Business Summits.
India and ASEAN states should hold regular exchange of thoughts and information by manner of carry oning trade carnivals and concern acmes. One such ASEAN-India Business Fair and Business Conclave is scheduled in New Delhi in Mar 2011, which has attracted widespread involvement from the local industry.
Connectivity.
In pursuit of India ‘s Look East Policy, under the Mekong Ganga Cooperation, India has concluded many undertakings with the ASEAN states which are aimed at heightening connectivity. India has built a route, 165 kilometer long, linking Tamu in Manipur to Kalemyo in Myanmar.
This is a portion of the Trans Asian Highway which would link New Delhi to Singapore via Kualalumpur, Ho Chin Minh metropolis, Phon Penh, Bangkok, Vientiane, Chiang Mai, Yangon, Mandalay, Kalemyo, Tamu, Dhaka and Calcutta.
Recently, under the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Facility, India and Myanmar have agreed to set up connectivity between the Indian Ports on the eastern sea face with the Sittwe Port in Myanmar.
This path may farther be extended through river conveyance and farther by route to Mizoram, thereby giving India an alternate path to the north eastern provinces. Enterprises may besides be taken for set uping rail links between India and Myanmar. The Governments of all the states involved in this undertaking should hasten them fast for the benefit of the part.
Space Technology.
India is capable of establishing its ballistic capsule indigenously and has now extended the service to the outside universe every bit good. India could offer cooperation in infinite engineering to the ASEAN states on telecommunication, broadcast medium, catastrophe extenuation, conditions prediction etc.
Information and Communication Technology.
India is a major package hub while China has setup stores of computing machine hardware in the ASEAN states. The two could incorporate to supply ICT solutions to the mass population in the part apart from taking up high terminal engineering assignments. Another cardinal country of development is to better ICT substructure connectivity. Improved connectivity would give benefit for all the sectors.
Research and Development.
The Public and Private sector in India every bit good as the ASEAN states should be encouraged to put in joint R & A ; D undertakings for development of merchandises of widespread commercial application. Cooperation may be explored in the field of engineering direction, engineering prediction, and engineering appraisal in the countries of microelectronics design and processing, nanotechnology, material scientific discipline etc.
Pharmaceuticals and Health Sector.
This part of the universe is home to the poorer states of the universe. Therefore, there is an huge range in developing and bring forthing low-cost medical specialties for the multitudes through joint coactions by the pharmaceutical industries of India and ASEAN states.
Small and Medium Enterprises ( SMEs ) .
The wellness of Small and Medium Enterprises in any state reflects the province of industrial prosperity. Potent SMEs back up the chief fabrication sectors of the province. India and ASEAN states should develop joint programmes for beef uping the capacity edifice of SMEs by promoting coaction between the SME associations of the states.
With the exposure, India would be benefited as new thoughts and even participants may come in for puting up endeavors in our rural sector. India on her portion should form our engineering exhibitions in the CLMV states to pull possible concern ventures.
Higher Education and Human Resource Development.
The prime educational institutes of India e.g. the IITs and IIMs are of really high reputation the universe over. These establishments should come in into coactions with the Universities in ASEAN states, particularly in the CLMV states, to leave higher and choice instruction.
The pupils of these establishments would be really effectual embassadors of India in that portion of the universe. Besides, new family programmes may be initiated for ASEAN pupils, particularly for the CLMV states, to prosecute higher instruction in India.
In the same way, the Indian Prime Minister while turn toing the 8th India ASEAN Summit has declared that India would offer 100 IT scholarships to each of the 10 ASEAN states over following five old ages.
Opportunity for Social and Cultural Cooperation
Social Cooperation.
Joint programmes may be undertaken between the Government and Non Government organisations of India and ASEAN states for poorness relief, rural development, authorising adult females, gender equality and bar of child labor and development.
Cultural Cooperation.
Cultural exchange programmes may be encouraged between the states of the part by forming cultural festivals and exchange programme for artistes of different executing art signifiers. Attempt should be made to sensitise the population of the cultural values of each other ‘s societies.
Mass media may be utilized for exchange of information on the civilization, traditions, industry, substructure and resources. In an effort to convey the people closer, ASEAN- India games may besides be organized. A few metropoliss may be identified as sister metropoliss in India and ASEAN states for joint development.
Tourism.
As the economic system of this part is thriving, the disposable income of the multitudes is besides increasing. Peoples are researching new finishs for vacationing. Besides, this portion of the universe has some of the most alien, beautiful and breathtaking tourer attractive forces.
India and ASEAN states have a batch to offer in footings of rich cultural heritage and natural vegetations and zoologies. India has besides become an attractive force for the medical touristry. Avenues for escapade touristry, athleticss touristry and new constructs like cultural and rural touristry, eco-tourism etc may be exploited to tap the potency of this flourishing industry.
In order to advance touristry, the Indian Prime Minister, while turn toing the 8th India ASEAN Summit, has declared that India would be widening the Visa on reaching installation to the subjects of Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines and Laos Wef on 01 Jan 2011. In add-on, the Governments should promote the private tourer operators to form budget touristry bundles.
WAY AHEAD
The India-ASEAN relationship has stabilized in the last two decennaries and ASEAN positions India as a mature and stable democracy, which is emerging as a strong economic and military power in the part. ASEAN besides has appreciated the enterprises of the Indian Armed Forces in Human-centered Assistance and Disaster Relief operations in the part.
The ASEAN part is an country of involvement for many other states as good. Therefore, the part may go susceptible to colliding involvements of a few states in future. India historically, in malice of holding a formidable military might, has been a non confrontational province.
On the strength of its lifting economic system, booming industrial base, proven democratic certificates and stature in International Forums, India is emerging as a major soft power in the universe.
Therefore, India should concentrate on the chances originating in the Southeast Asia in the sectors mentioned in the paragraphs above. A constructive cooperation in all the above mentioned countries would take to greater prosperity and cultural integrating in the part.
The combined prosperity would cut down poorness, better substructure and supply chance for instruction to all, while cultural integrating in the part would take to a long lasting bonding between the population of the part, an accomplishment which would assist in better apprehension and stableness in the part.
ASEAN and India have legion bilateral understandings under which Plans of Actions have been formulated towards peace, advancement and shared prosperity in the part. They need to foster tap the chances brought in the old paragraphs and put to death them on fast path, few of which would be under execution every bit good.
India and ASEAN states are good poised to profit from each other ‘s strengths. A strong and healthy partnership between the two would guarantee greater shared prosperity amongst the states ensuing in enduring regional stableness.
