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International Relations

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January 27, 2018

For India, a strong relationship with ASEAN is no longer a policy option; rather it is an economic and strategic necessity. Elaborate.

Refer – The Hindu

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IAS Parliament 6 years

KEY POINTS

Economic necessity

·        Infrastructural projects like India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project and Bangkok-Yangon-Delhi railway will significantly boost connectivity between India-Myanmar leading up to the rest of Southeast Asia. 

·        Enhanced connectivity between the two countries will not only serve India but also neighbouring Bangladesh.

·         India, which is vying to become a regional leader in South Asia, can score major points with its South Asian neighbours by connecting them to East Asia.

·        The demand for goods in Western economies is coming down.

·        Also, there could be alterations in employment structures and even loss of jobs in the coming future.

·        Digital technologies and the impending Fourth Industrial Revolution could largely drive these changes.

·        These call for the south-east Asian region to look deeper within, to develop markets and increase trade for mutual benefits.

China factor

·        Maritime rivalry with China is another challenge which calls for India to develop a strong regional cooperation.

·        It includes its territorial claim on the resource-rich South China Sea, OBOR initiative and power struggle in the Indian Ocean.

Strategic necessity

·        Given the prevailing regional power imbalance created by a declining U.S. and an assertive China, India and ASEAN are well poised to become strategic partners in ensuring regional peace and stability.

·        Other non-traditional challenges such as human trafficking, cybercrime and piracy also demands greater regional cooperation.

Socio-cultural ties

·        India’s cultural and trade ties with Southeast Asia go back 2,000 years.

·        India and ASEAN also have a unique opportunity to reap the potential of geographic proximity. 

·        The presence of the Indian diaspora in almost all ASEAN nations is another factor requiring partnerships.

·        Given all these, India-ASEAN partnership is more an economic and strategic necessity than a choice.

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