ASEAN symbolizes the spirit of solidarity and peaceful, prosperous and socially responsible ASEAN Community. The theme of this year's ASEAN Day is "Stronger Together" that invites and welcomes the forward-minded people of ASEAN to come in synchronization and work as a collective to face the challenges of 21st Century.
ASEAN symbolizes the spirit of solidarity and peaceful, prosperous and socially responsible ASEAN Community. The theme of this year's ASEAN Day is "Stronger Together" that invites and welcomes the forward-minded people of ASEAN to come in synchronization and work as a collective to face the challenges of 21st Century.
ASEAN is one of the most successful regional blocks in today's world. 55 years ago, on this day the ASEAN started its journey from Bangkok with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand . Brunei Darussalam then joined on 7 January 1984, Viet Nam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999, making up what is today the ten Member States of ASEAN.
Dato Lim Jock Hoi, the Secretary General of ASEAN, in his address to the ASEAN audience this morning from the ASEAN Secretariat, reminded us that after two years of devastating Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown, the region is now reopening to businesses and international exposures.
India's engagements with ASEAN officially began in early 1990s and continue with the strategic partnership and Act East Policy. In 2022, ASEAN and India are celebrating the 30 years of diplomatic relationship and the year has been marked as ASEAN-India Friendship Year. AIC and RIS, being part of this wonderful journey between ASEAN and India, take the opportunity to observe the ASEAN Day in 2022 to strengthen the important pillars of friendship that include political-security ties, economic cooperation and socio-cultural bonhomie.
Pattarat Hongtong, Thailand Ambassador, Ung Sean, Ambassador, Cambodia, Dr Mohan Kumar, Chairman, RIS; Geetika Srivastava, JS (Indo-Pacific) MEA and Dr Prabir De, Professor and Coordinator, AIC at RIS werepresent in the event.
Dr. Kumar referred to three main points including the geopolitical tensions that now have crossed the boundaries of Europe and come to Asia; ASEAN centrality, and the recent G-20 presidency held one-after-the-other by two Asian countries, namely, Indonesia and India. Dr. Kumar mentioned that due to all these factors, strategic convergence of interests has become inevitable for ASEAN and India.
Srivastava spoke about the host of events that Ministry of External Affairs has been organizing in the year 2022 to celebrate the 30 years of partnership between ASEAN and India. The people-centric events include ASEAN-India Parliamentarian Exchange Programme, ASEAN-India Music Festival and Artists Camp. Besides, ASEAN and India already had the 12th edition of Delhi Dialogue in June 2022 in New Delhi and the Special Meeting at the level of Foreign Ministers in the same time.
Hongtong focused on ASEAN centrality and ASEAN-India partnership in the fields of non-traditional security issues. These include maritime security, partnership to mitigate trans-national crimes, counter-terrorism initiatives and cyber security. Connectivity at the physical, digital and people's level need to be enhanced. She also mentioned about advancing health security and sustainable development goals.
Sean emphasized on the journey of ASEAN and ASEAN-India partnership. The Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC), India's role in upholding ASEAN centrality and the 30 years of friendship received attention from his side.
The panel discussion, themed as "75 years of India and 55 years of ASEAN: Partners in Progress" was moderated by Prof. S.D. Muni, Emeritus Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. Dato Alaihuddin Mohammad Taha, High Commissioner, High Commission of Brunei Darussalam,referred to the mantra of ASEAN including promotion of peace, social cohesion, development, ASEAN Community, peace with the neighbours and strategic partnerships with external partners.
Bounneme Chouanghom, Ambassador, Embassy of the Lao PDR, spoke about the bilateral partnership between India and Lao PDR and the former's developmental assistance to the latter in narrowing the developmental gaps. He also appreciated Foreign Minister Dr S. Jaishankar's recent visit to Lao PDR and the friendly relation between the two countries.
Masni Eriza, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, put thrust on issues that can build up the upcoming Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between ASEAN and India. He focused on areas like medical capacity building, food security, maritime cooperation, blue economy and building bridges in the Indo-Pacific. In this regard, Indonesia's role is important as well as convergence of interests between ASEAN and India in the maritime domain.
Moe Kyaw Aung, Ambassador of Myanmar, spoke about the multifaceted relationship between ASEAN and India and the role of Myanmar as a bridge in that dynamic. Geographical proximity and India's Act East Policy play key roles in the ASEAN-India partnership.
Simon Wong, High Commissioner, of Singapore, referred to the terms like cohesive integrity which identifies ASEAN's balance with the big powers to maintain peace and tranquility in the region. He also defined ASEAN centrality as a term that denotes ASEAN's power to negotiatewith the competitive and geopolitical big powers and not to allow them to distort peace in the region. He also appreciated India's stance in maintaining peace at the critical juncture of the 21st Century when most of the big powers are fighting with each other. Therefore, he suggested the non-confrontational ways to play the bigger role in the Indo-Pacific.
Hai Thanh Do, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, illustrated well the criticism ASEAN as an institution had faced in the past for not being able to manage some of the inter-state and intra-state conflicts. He then moved to the convergence of interests in the Indo-Pacific in strategic and security terms.
The other speakers included Gurjit Singh, Former Indian Ambassador to ASEAN, Indonesia, Germany, Ethiopia, and the African Union and Dr Constantino Xavier, Fellow, CSEP, New Delhi.
Singh highlighted India's expectations from the ASEAN that include understanding India's position on different global affairs. He also suggested that ASEAN needs to prioritizeits relationship with India through its own prism and not through the mirror of any other external relationship.
Xavier underscored that ASEAN and India have the choice to co-exist with the big powers and that is the key of today's geopolitics. He also threw light on the informed choices that ASEAN and India can now make in the geostrategic realm of Indo-Pacific. Bilateral, quadrilateral and multilateral relationships between the ASEAN members and India are significant for the peace in Indo-Pacific.
Overall, the speakers stressed on the necessity of new and emerging areas of cooperation between ASEAN and India including digital services, e-commerce, connectivity, space, Artificial Intelligence, cyber security and many others in addition to the historical connect between the two regions. Prof. S D Muni drew the conclusion by referring to the cohesiveness in ASEAN-India partnership.
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