Dr.

Ran Vijay Singh

Reader Political Science
D.A.V. P.G. College College, Lucknow

India-Asean Relations
The association of south east asian nations commanly abberiviated ASEAN is a
geo-political and economic organization of ten countries located in south east asia, which
was formed on 8 August, 1967 by Indonesia, Malasiya, Philipines, Singapour, and
Thailand. Since then membership was expanded to include Brunei, Burma (Myamar)
Combodia, Laos and Vietnam. Its aim include the acceleration of economic growth,
social progress, cultural development among its members, the protection of the peace and
stability of the ............ and to provide opportunities for member countries to discuss
differences peacefully.1
During the 1990s, the bloc experienced on increase in both membership as well as
in the drive for further integration. Aside from improving each membre state's
economics, the bloc also focused on peace and stability in the region.
The south east asian nuclear weapon free zone treaty which was signed in 1995, become
fully effective on june 21, 2001.2 At the term of the 21st centuary issues shifted to involve
a more envoirnmental perspective after soinging treating like cebu declaration on East
Asian Energy Secqurity, The ASEAN. Wildlife enforcement network in 2005 and the
asia-pacific partnership on clean development and climate.
India-Asean relations have grown rapidaly from a sectoral dialogue partnership in
1992 to a full dialogue partnership in 1995. India has had very old ties with the south east
asian nations. In the warly decades of the 20th century, when India was fighting against
British colomalism, it also supported the freedom movement in Indonesia. India also
provided assistence to the civilian government in the Buma in the mid 1950s.
The early 1990s marked a major shift in India's foreign policy with the ASEAN
group. India enbarked upon what is now called its look east policy in 1991 and this led a
series of high level dialogue. Indian ministry of external affairs annual report of 1992-93,

1
ASEAN ..........official website- Aseansec.org
2
Bangkok Treaty at UNODA, United Nations.
noted that: "India deciated to give a special policy thrust to its relations with the
ASEAN.3 India's economic potential and performance and its military capabilities were
noted by ASEAN and gradually greater context was imported to individual bi-lactual ties.
However, India's neuclear test of May 1998, during NDA government changed ASEAN
perception. The specific Indian military capabilities was acknowledged.

Political and Seceurity Co-operation

Science India become a dialogue partner of ASEAN, there is a significant change
in political and seceurity dimension. India now participates in a series of consultative
meetings with ASEAN under the ASEAN- India dialogue relations, which include
summit, ministirial meetings, senior official meetings and meetings at experts level,as
well as through dialogue and co-operation frameworks initiated by ARF (ASEAN
Regional Forum), The East Asia Summit and Bengal Initiative for Multisectional
Technical and Economic co-operation (BIMSTEC), all of which help contribute to
enhancing regional dialogue and accelerating regional integration. ASEAN and India will
make the 20th anniversary of their dialogue relations in 2012 with a commensorative
summit to be held in India. A number of activity have been planned to signify the
expanding and deepending of the dialogue partnership4.
Over the years India-ASEAN functional co-operation has been expanded to
include human resource develoment, science and technology, people to people contact,
transport and infrastructure, tourism and information technology, agriculture etc. Co-
operation in this area is carried out through a plant of action which was adopted by the
leaders ASEAN and India and the third ASEAN-India summit in November, 2004. The
7th ASEAN India summit held in Thailand in Oct. 2009 also noted satisfaction in the area
of peace, progress and prosperity.5
ASEAN in India fourth largest trading partner after the European Union, the
united States of America and China. Two way trade between India and ASEAN was 47
billion US$ in 2008. Both the parties are respecting 10 billion $ increase trade every year.

3
....in "India and ASEAN: Foreign Policy Dimmension for the 21st century" ed. K. Raja Reddy, New
Century Pub. New Delhi
4
ASEAN Ministrial Meetings, ASEAN Secretariat Retrieved 13ch 2007.
5
On Building the ASENA Community; The Democratic aspect: 2009
 While concluding it can be said that ASEAN's relations with India at the macro-
level will be saved by the forces of globlization on the trades and economic front on the
strategy and security front, much will depend on the trajectory of US-China relations and
the manner in which they impact ASEAN as a collective and on the specific interects of
individuals states. However it would be reasonable to identify some immidiate comman
concern such as terrosim link to radical Islamic Jehadism maritime threats such as piracy
and pollution and natural disaster responce capabilities.6

6
Indian Foreign Policy Organization in the 21st Century: Continuity and change by C. Uday Bhaskar